


My Sword and Shield

by JeanneRiddle



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Close to lore friendly, Dark Brotherhood - Freeform, F/M, Friendship/Love, I choose Empire, Modded Skyrim, Sex, Thieves Guild, as many quests and mini quests as I can fit into this, but no cigar, we'll see where this takes us
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2019-07-01 08:47:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 24,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15770658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JeanneRiddle/pseuds/JeanneRiddle
Summary: Silvea Feye didn't know her lineage. A bastard down the long bloodline of Tiber Septim, running deep in her veins. She grew up in prison with her parents, only ever knowing the faces of her mother, her father, and the soldier that fed them. Her parents were now long gone and she spent years alone in her cell, waiting for anything to save her from her sanity-crushing loneliness. A storm would be her salvation.





	1. By Mara's Hand, Freedom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, I've come to the realization that this fic isn't going to be very close to lore friendly, but it will feature lore, mostly because of the mods I choose to enjoy throughout my game. If you have any questions about my mod list and its actual load order, I may post it later, but here's the ones that are for sure going to be mentioned throughout this fic:  
> https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-oqeqxtv76w4ADNpPY5Akvwyt-L1qILmqZIVu1L1QK4/edit?usp=sharing

Feye. It had been a family name for generations but it had never brought the Feyes any trouble. That was, until the Great War. Elves and man alike had lost their lives in that war, but no one worse than Vidali and Angerius Feye.

They'd lived peacefully in the city of Chorrol in Cyrodiil. Angerius was a scholar, a man interested in learning a great deal about history, magic, and mathematics. Vidali was an aspiring bard, often enthralled in her work and absorbed in the very beauty of the forests and fields that surrounded Chorral. They were happy in the simplicity of their lives, unaware of the hurt and loss that was befalling Hammerfell, until it fell on them.

Chorrol had been invaded, too close to the border and unprepared for the wrath of the Aldmeri Dominion and its warriors. Citizens fled and most were killed. Vidali stood in the path of a longsword and Angerius shielded her, turning his back to the Altmer and preparing for a blow that never came. The high elf that had been attacking them had stopped on his own volition, calling backup and finding his commander. 

Anderius held his wife close, continuing to shield her from the elves that glared at them and finally the elf returned with his superior. The commanding elf sneered at him, and Anderius chose to glare defiantly back at him.

"Kill the woman. But hold him prisoner."

"Why do you want me alive?" Anderius cried out, still shielding his wife as best he could. 

"You don't know?" The Altmer general sounded surprised but then he just laughed. "Your blood. What flows through your veins is more important than anything that we could find here in this rathole of a city."

"I don't follow." Anderius stated evenly, batting away a blade coming towards Vidali with his fist. 

"It's better that you don't know." the elf stated nonchalantly, turning and starting to walk off.

"My wife is with child!" the general went still, as did his men. He turned to look over his shoulder at the man and his wife, looking them both up and down with narrowed eyes. 

"Your absolutely sure?" 

"Yes." Anderius promised, lying through his teeth. Little did he know his lie had more truth to it than he could ever have imagined. 

"Very well, hold both him and his wife prisoners, make sure they never escape, Cyrelian. I put you in charge of their... care..." the elf general commanded, walking off to mount a horse. 

Cyrelian roughly maneuvered the couple to a wagon and bagged their heads to ensure they couldn't see. Anderius held Vidali's hand, wishing he could promise her that it would be alright but he couldn't bring himself to lie to her. Within just a few weeks, they had found themselves living in a prison somewhere, they couldn't begin to guess where. And a month later, they had learned that Anderius' little fib was actually the truth. 

He should've been overjoyed, but instead he just felt grief at the fact that his child would be born in some hole in Tamriel. All he could do was pray that his child would know freedom.

Vidali had given him the gift of a little girl and they did their best raising her in the small prison cell they lived in. They named her Silvea Feye, to honor that she was the silver lining in their captivity. When she was just barely a few months old, the elves moved them to a different prison. The journey was long and hard and fear swept through the new parents' hearts when they felt water rush up to their knees and then it faded with the familiar feeling of stone floors. 

Silvea was raised normally enough inside a little larger prison cell than what they had experienced when they were first captured. Vidali taught her to play a lute with a thin plank of wood she had worked tirelessly to carve with a rock to feel like the neck and strings. Anderius was determined to instill in her all of the knowledge he had gained over the years, even if he knew she'd never get an opportunity to actually use her wisdom. He couldn't teach her much in the ways of magic because he didn't want to get in trouble with the negligent guards but he managed to teach her how to produce flames and how to heal wounds. He raised her on as much politics and mathematics as he could and by the age of seven she was very smart, indeed. 

Unfortunately, the shelter and stability of family couldn't last forever. Vidali had fallen ill and they 'removed' her from the cell quickly in hopes of preserving Silvea and Anderius. It was too late, though, Anderius had caught whatever awful sickness his wife had contracted and he passed away as well. Silvea grew up mostly alone, only ever knowing the guard that brought her food and water. It had been nearly two decades since the passing of her mother and father when something unlikely occured.

A storm. It was the worst that this prison had ever seen and other prisoners had seen it as an opportunity to break free from the hellish nature of captivity. Some succeeded, based on the shouts of victory that she could hear echoing in the stone halls, other's did not and her basis for this were the screams of anguish. Nobody had thought to free her and so she remained in her cell. Water and food had become more scarce as there was only one guard and he was trying his best to keep enough rations for those who had survived the breakout on the prisoners side as well as what remained of the guards. Water she received only often enough to ensure that she didn't die and food was also provided to her at a laughable amount. 

Often, she'd hear the sound of a whip on flesh, deep grunts and a dissatisfied elf shouting for information about something... she couldn't begin to guess what as whatever it was he only ever referred to as 'it.' Starving and dying for water, Silvea turned to the divines for help out of need for something to believe in. Mostly she prayed to Mara, hoping for her compassion to shine down on her and the poor man who was regularly being whipped within an inch of his life. Weeks like that turned to months and just when Silvea had started to lose hope, she found something miraculous: three lockpicks hidden in the stuffing of her bed. She was sure they had never been there before but she couldn't begin to guess where they'd come from. 

It was quiet outside her cell which she took to mean that her fellow inmate was not being tortured for information. She moved quietly to her cell door and started to pick the lock, relieved and all too excited when she heard the unfamiliar click of a lock being freed. Her heart pounded with excitement as she took her first tentative steps out of the only place she'd ever really known. Silence still. Up the six stairs that stood outside her cell she found a table and to her relief she found on it some gold, a dagger, and a key to all the cells in the prison. Not too far away though, she found the body of a guard with a much better weapon: an imperial sword. 

Up the stairs she climbed until finally she found the guard who often fed her. At seeing her escaping her cell, he drew his sword and readied his magic and she did the same, the battle was hard and well fought but she came out victorious and to her joy, she found that she could melt his armor with her magic to fit her, though admittedly, since she'd never done it before there wasn't a lot of armor left and a lot of her skin was left to the cold. She was going to go up those stairs and leave this hellish life behind but her mind wandered back to the other prisoner, the man who was so regularly interrogated that she could almost imagine what his voice would be like though the grunts that she'd heard from him.

She made her way back down to his cell and unlocked it with the key, standing in front of him a moment and just taking in the sight of another being, one that wasn't trying to kill her, anyway. 

"When I get out of here, I'll kill you all myself..." The man stated, glaring defiantly at her, fists clenching. He had a voice that somehow made her feel comfort despite his threats.

"Easy now, I'm here to help." Silvea stated, putting her hands on her hips in a slightly sassy manner.

"What? Who are you?" the man seemed a little bewildered and looked her up and down slowly. He'd certainly never seen such a... revealing uniform on any of the guards and this woman was clearly not an elf at all. "You're not with the Thalmor, are you? Quick, get me free from here before more come." Silvea was going to... assuming he wasn't some sort of murderer who got off on taking the lives of others. But she had a few questions.

"Who are you?" She asked curiously.

"Kaidan, my name is Kaidan." the man answered and she hummed.

"Silvea Feye. Why are you in here?" She asked, slowly narrowing her eyes at him as if trying to look into his soul for the answers.

"The Thalmor invited me to high tea, what do you think?" Silvea turned on heel, not satisfied with his answer. "I dunno..." he admitted quietly, sighing a little. "some justiciars ambushed me outside of Falkreath."

"There must be more to it." she crossed her arms and leaned on the prison bars behind her.

"Choking on my own blood and you want my life story? Look, I don't know." he growled before softening about. "They just kept asking me something about The Blades, and the sword I had. Just help me out of here." Silvea thought a moment and then nodded.

"Don't worry, I'll get you free."

"You're a lifesaver." Kaidan mused and Silvea set to work on the bindings that held him to the wall. He fell to his hands and knees, legs finally giving out after being in that position for far too long. Silvea had the opportunity finally to get a good look at the man she had somehow saved. He was well toned but severely injured. Something red on his face, blood, maybe? She thought back on the healing spell she learned so long ago.

"Here, I know a little healing magic." she murmured as he forced himself to stand.

"A healer? That's a special gift you have." he sounded a little amazed at her abilities and it felt foreign since she'd never been looked at that way before. She didn't know what to say so she simply blushed and shuffled about awkwardly. 

"Let's get out of here." she suggested, wanting nothing more than to see what the world outside of this prison offered.

"Wait, there's one more thing." the man said firmly, looking in the direction of the crumbled wall of his cell. "One of the Thalmor got his hands on my sword. I know I've got no right to ask, but I could use your help in getting it back."

"The sword is that important?" Silvea asked in disbelief, raising an eyebrow.

"This isn't me being sentimental. They kept asking about it. If it's important to them, they shouldn't have it." he argued and Silvea couldn't really bring herself to argue with that logic.

"Where did he go?"

"Headed deeper into the prison, and with luck he's cornered like a rat." Kaidan answered simply.

"Here, take these. We could be in for a fight." Silvea murmured, shoving into his hand an iron battleaxe and a pair of boots she had found earlier.

They made their way through the depths of the prison until Silvea came across the elf that had been responsible for her parents' imprisonment, Cyrelian. Two against one made for an incredibly fair fight, as it turned out and Silvea and Kaidan slayed the bastard who had been the cause of both of their suffering and Silvea took the sword that had been hanging on his back like a war trophy and handed it to Kaidan.

"Son of a bitch had it coming." Kaidan growled, glaring at the corpse. "I can't thank you enough. I know you didn't have to help me."

"What's the story with this sword?" Silvea asked curiously, looking at the masterpiece that now hung on Kaidan's back.

"The question on everyone's mind, even mine. The sword belonged to my mother. I never knew her, but it's my only real clue to finding out who she was." Kaidan paused, as if lost in reverie before honing in on her again. "Listen, I owe you my life, and I'm not a man who's comfortable being in debt. If you ever have need of me, I'd be glad to fight alongside you till that debt is repaid."

It occurred to Silvea in that moment that she didn't exactly have any idea what was outside this prison, and that a guide could come in handy at the very least. Assuming this was a normal interaction, fighting alongside someone seemed like a good option.

"I'd be glad to have you travel with me." Silvea said with a smile and a look filled with determination appeared on Kaidan's face.

"I am your sword and shield." With that, Silvea decided it might be best to leave this place with some supplies. She took a sack and started packing it full of anything she thought might be useful. She spotted a chest and found in it some heavy, steel armor. Kaidan's eyes lit up. "You found the rest of my gear!" he explained, grinning. "Mind if I get that armor back? It's been my second skin for years now." Silvea handed him the very heavy armor and Kaidan put it on as if it was the most natural thing in the world to him.

Most everything was taken from the pathetic remnants of the prison and then they departed, leaving behind the hellish place for good with a decent amount of gold and enough food to last them a few days at the very least. They weren't sure what would be waiting for them at the front gate so they decided the storage drain would be the best option. As they made their way through the drain, a question occurred to Silvea.

"So, what happened with the Thalmor?" 

"Aye, guess I owe you that. I'd been trying to find a way to cross the border into pale pass." Kaidan started to explain and she felt envious. He had a story, hers was only this prison and she was about to leave behind the only place she'd ever known. "In the meantime, I'd been picking up bounty contracts to keep some coin in my pocket. I must've drawn too much attention to myself. I'd been camping by the lake when they ambushed me. It seems the Thalmor don't ever need much evidence to bring in a suspect. They took one look at that sword, decided I'd be a good target for interrogation, and dragged me off to that abandoned prison."

"Weren't you scared?" Silvea asked, knowing the fear she was feeling now at the thought of being somewhere unfamiliar. Kaidan chuckled.

"Brynjar used to say, 'If you're not a little afraid, you're not understanding the situation.' Fear I can deal with easily enough... But, there was a moment or two where I thought it might really be the end for me. The Thalmor never would've let me go no matter what I told them..." Kaidan looked at her with a tender look. "You've faced down mortality too, perhaps you know the feeling..."

"More than you know..." Silvea mused, staring at the ladder that led to her freedom.

"Apologies, I didn't mean to prod old wounds. But after all that's happened, you're still standing." Kaidan encouraged, waiting for her to go up first. 

"The Thalmor will come after you again, you know." Silvea murmured, though she knew it was a possibility for her too. There had to be a reason she was raised in the place.

"Probably, and I'll be ready for them." Kaidan said confidently. "Live and learn, right?" 

Silvea found his way of looking at life rather inspiring, though that might've had something to do with the fact that he had actually lived a life outside of this prison. She wanted to know more, about the world she was about to stumble into. It was all to exciting and her heart was racing as she approached the ladder that lead to her salvation.

Water was falling from the sky when she reached the surface of the world she was unfamiliar with and as Kaidan climbed up the later and out of that dank prison, he looked like he was contemplating something rather intensely. He hummed quietly to himself as he stood and looked out at the water flowing down a steep cliff and Silvea stared out towards it too for a moment, taking a water skin she'd found in the prison and filling it with river water before downing it all. He'd sat down next to her, feet dangling into the river and Silvea realized he'd taken off his boots to better enjoy a sense of freedom. She took off her boots as well, setting them to the side, and put her feet in the water.

It was cold and crisp and unfamiliar, and the sensation of it made her quietly hiss to herself but she chose to stick it out, wanting to know as much about a place she didn't know as she could.

"I have something for you..." Kaidan said quietly, breaking the mostly comfortable silence between them and digging something out of his pouch and handing it to her. "It's a Nord war horn, carved from a bit of tusk. You can use it if we ever get separated. I'll hear it, and I'll be able to find you."

Silvea examined it with fascination. She'd never seen anything so beautiful. She carefully packed it away in her own sack with a smile.

"Thank you." Silvea murmured gently. "Tell me about yourself, if you don't mind..."

"Actually, I'd rather hear about you, what were you doing in that prison?" Silvea bit her lip and shrugged. 

"I... don't know, honestly. I don't know what my sentence was or what crime was worth keeping me alive all those years..." 

"I'd only been there for a good chunk of a year. You're telling me you were there longer?"

"Since before the prison became 'abandoned.' Long before..."

"And you'd survived all this time?" Kaidan asked in astonishment.

"I would still get my meals and water quite regularly before the storm that destroyed the prison. It was simple then... It became less simple after that." 

"I'm not going to force you to talk about something you don't want to, so if you would prefer to stop, y'can." 

"I appreciate that." Silvea murmured softly, peaking her head out from under the bridge they were using as shelter. "Is the rain letting up?"

"Aye, I think it is."

"I know where I want to go!" Silvea said excitedly, standing up quickly and pulling on her boots almost clumsily. 

"Yeah? And where's that, exactly?" Kaidan asked with raised eyebrows, getting up as well but at his own pace. 

"Chorrol in Cyrodiil!" she beamed, making her way out from under the bridge.


	2. Trouble in Helgen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for not updating this story sooner, guys. I've had a very busy September and October, and a bad case of writer's block for this chapter specifically. I hope to be updating my works more regularly now that I've set some deadlines for myself on all of my works. I'll probably slow down again around Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, but I will be back to uploading as frequently as I can. As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated.

"Chorral in Cyrodiil!"

Kaidan had chose an inopportune moment to drink from his water skin because her declaration caused him to sputter and cough.

"Cyrodiil?" he asked between coughs, patting firmly on his chest as if that would help whatever water had lost its way get back on track.

"Is that a problem?" Silvea asked curiously.

"In itself, no... but I just got back from Cyrodiil when I got captured, and I did come back to Skyrim with a purpose..."

"Oh..." Silvea thought for a moment before her excited smile returned. "How about this: you get me to the border, and I'll find my way from there. I'll consider your 'debt' to me paid in full." 

"Are you sure you'll be alright on your own?" Kaidan asked, receiving a confident nod as his answer.

"I could use a map." she said lightheartedly. Kaidan chuckled softly. 

"I'm sure you'll find a map of Skyrim easy enough here, but the Empire and Skyrim aren't on the best of terms right now. It will be tricky to find a map of Cyrodiil."

"I'm sure finding a map of Cyrodiil in Cyrodiil won't be too tricky. I'll just need to know where to find one."

"Well, Burma is a nice little town just south of the border. You're bound to find a map there." 

"Burma... Alright." Silvea put it to memory. "We should probably get going since the rain has let up." 

"I'll lead the way since you're new to Skyrim." Kaidan offered and Silvea nodded her agreement to the situation. She was fascinated by every plant and animal that they came across, picking several flowers and examining them closely. "Didn't realise you were an alchemist."

"I'm not. At least... not yet..." Silvea replied quietly as she gently turned over a blossom in her hands as they walked. "So where are we heading?" 

"Well, there's a little town not too far from here called Fleetford. There's a general and curiosity store there that should have a map for us, or at least... there was one I was last in Skyrim."

"When were you last in Skyrim?"

"Um... it's been close to twelve winters?"

"That's quite a few winters." Silvea commented with a smirk.

"Yes, gloat when I'm proven wrong, not before."

* * *

Fleetford was a lovely little town, hidden under the shadow of the Throat of the World until late in the afternoon and settled between the Throat and a series of shorter mountains on the other side. Strings of lanterns dangled above the town from building to building, mostly to light the way from sundown to when the tall mountains gave way to light in the afternoon. A stream went through the town, and rather than building bridges the residents of this quaint but lovely town elected to use long, smooth logs to cross the stream without getting wet. 

Silvea followed Kaidan across the logs and up a set of stairs into the store that he had mentioned. Kaidan spoke to the orc running the place while Silvea looked at the shelves stocked full of many wonderful, but unfamiliar things. Her eyes settled on a lute but she knew she didn't have enough gold to afford it.

"Oi, Feye. I've got the map. Let's find a place to turn in for the night." Silvea was pulled out of her thoughts by Kaidan's voice and she followed Kaidan out of the shop, glancing back at the lute before the door closed. "So there's a tavern but no inn in this town. There's an unoccupied guard tower. We can stay there until morning, we don't really have any options besides roughing it tonight." 

"That's fine." Silvea agreed, wandering into the guard's tower. There was a pile of straw and wood at the bottom, but Silvea felt the need to explore and wandered up the stairs to find a small area with a bedroll and a chair. Kaidan followed her up and spotted them as well.

"You can take the bedroll. I'll sleep in the chair." he murmured, sitting down in it before she could object. Silvea climbed under the furs and glanced up at Kaidan. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you so interested in Chorral?"

"It's where my parents lived before the Great War. I just want to see what kind of life I would've had, had they not been captured by the Thalmor." Silvea answered quietly, playing with the fur.

"You've been in that prison since the Great War?"

"Yeah... It's the only place I've ever known. I was raised in there..."

"Oh..."

"Well... goodnight... Kaidan."

"Goodnight, Feye."

* * *

There was a content simplicity to having breakfast outside of a cell. Yes, it had been an apple and a slice of bread, but it had been delicious. Silvea studied the map while Kaidan finished his own breakfast.

"So we're taking the route through Riverwood and Helgen?" 

"Aye. That's the quickest way there. We'll have to keep an eye out for Stormcloak and Imperial troops but if we sell the things we don't need before we head off, we'll travel lighter. The lighter the better in these times."

"Some gold would go a long way towards getting both of us where we need to go." Silvea reasoned, rolling up the map and carefully tucking it away in her sack. 

They made their way down into the courtyard and found two Khajiit merchants, Silvea starting a trade with one and Kaidan with the other. Silvea was back down to food and anything she deemed essential; a woodcutters axe, health potions which she decided she'd probably give to Kaidan when they parted ways since she could heal herself fine with magic, and the bow she'd picked up.

The path they took out of town was steep and it wound around the base of the Throat. Not too terribly far from Fleetford was an ancient Nord, bridge fortress: Valtheim. It seemed to be unoccupied and the architecture sent Silvea's soul into a state of awe.

They made their way past but as they rounded the Throat to view Whiterun, two bandits charged at them from just down the road. Kaidan quickly sprung into action, crossing blades with one of the while the other came at Silvea. She dodged the swing of his sword and he gave her a sickening smirk. He lunged at her, grabbing her loose hair and tugging her against him. She reached for the bow in her sack and smacked him with it. He was stunned, but mostly by the fact that she was using a bow in such a manner and not the force of the blow, but her goal was achieved when he released her hair. She began whacking him with the bow in earnest now and Kaidan sneaked up behind him and ran him through. 

"What exactly were you trying to pull, Feye?" he asked in exasperation. "Do you actually know how to use a bow?"

"Um... no..." Silvea admitted, blushing brightly. "I was in a pinch, alright?"

"You don't know how to use a bow and I'm a day and a half journey away from letting you wander on your own?" he asked in disbelief. "The moment I find a good spot on the road, I'm teaching you to use that thing, got it?"

"Yes..." 

"Come here. I've got something for you to tie your hair back with so it's less of an advantage for any enemies that face you."

"I don't know how to tie back my hair." Kaidan looked like he was about to be impatient but his featured softened when he remembered how she'd grown up.

"Let's sit down on that rock and I'll teach you to braid your hair, yeah?" Silvea nodded and did as she was told. He showed her how to do it a few times and made her try it on her own as he searched the bandits for anything useful. 

He glanced up at her and saw that she had finished the braid and was watching him curiously. He shook his head as if to shake himself out of a reverie or a trance and started down the path.

"Now that you've figured out how to do your hair, we should get moving. I've still got to teach you archery and we've got to get to Riverwood before the sun goes down." Silvea followed obediently, playing with the strands of hair at the end of her braid awkwardly as she followed along. 

They crossed a bridge and made a left and once they reached the top of the hill, Kaidan stopped. 

"This is a good place to show you how to fire a bow." he decided, taking a few arrows out of his quiver and handing them to her. "Your target is that pine over there." 

"I don't suppose I could get a demonstration?" she asked quietly and he sighed but nodded, equipping his bow and quickly firing his arrow at the tree as if it was one of the most natural things in the world for him.

He was fast enough that Silvea didn't catch much in the way of technique but now knew what result she was suppose to achieve. She drew her bow back after clumsily placing her arrow and fired. 

"That was a good first shot." Kaidan commented and Silvea lit up, glancing to see where her arrow had hit.

"Really?" 

"No." he admitted honestly, plucking the arrow from the ground five feet from where she stood. "But to be fair, it was a little better than my first shot with a bow." he chuckled. "Try again, Feye."

Silvea drew her bow and Kaidan watched her technique carefully. 

"Let me help." he murmured, nudging her arms in whatever directions he saw fit but keeping his distance. She fired the arrow. It hadn't hit the tree but it had flown farther than her first attempt. He let her carry on practicing while he ate lunch.

"Can I eat?"

"Yeah. You can eat when your arrow hits that tree." Kaidan answered with a smirk at the stone cold glare he received. "Your form is wrong again."

"I don't know what I'm doing wrong." She admitted and Kaidan got up from the stone he'd been perched on and stepped behind her, gently grabbing her hands with his own. His armour was cool against her skin but that didn't stop her from warming up as she blushed. His arms gently cradled her arms.

"Relax your shoulders, Feye." He murmured softly into her ear. She did as she was told, with some difficulty. "Focus your gaze on where you want to hit." Her eyes narrowed and she awaited her teacher's next command. "Aim slightly above where you want to hit. Is there wind?"

"Just a little." Silvea answered.

"Which direction is it coming from?"

"The left."

"Then you'll want to aim slightly to the left." Kaidan reasoned, adjusting her arms accordingly. "Now, Feye, let your arrow fly." 

Silvea released the arrow and to her surprise it landed right where she had intended to hit. Excitement flooded her and she looked up at Kaidan over her shoulder. He was smiling rather proudly. They hadn't noticed the lack of distance between them... at least, until Silvea's stomach grumbled its complaint.

"You should eat now. That's enough practice for one day." Kaidan said, moving back to his stone quickly. Silvea had no trouble following that order. She pulled out a piece of bread, a carrot, and some cold stew and dug in.

* * *

When they arrived in Riverwood, the sun was just starting to hit the horizon and Kaidan held the door for Silvea as they entered the inn. They were greeted by a cheery wench and not long after, they listened to a lady yell at the barkeep as they warmed their hands by the fire. It was a quiet evening, They paid for rooms and their food and slept in their rented beds.

The morning was as simple as the first. They made their way up the road and everything seemed normal... until they spotted smoke not too far away. 

The gates of Helgen loomed closer to their sights and to their surprise a pitch black dragon, glowing red from the fire he was spitting lifted into the air with its strong wings and let out a mighty roar.

Helgen had falling.

 


	3. A Task from Riverwood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm honestly not sure what direction I want to take this story after the next couple chapters, and I might delay writing this particular work until I'm absolutely sure what direction I want my story to go. I have a lot of scenes in mind that I really adore, but it's just a matter of deciding how I want the story to come together as a whole. I promise that there will be no delays for the next chapter, but I honestly am going to have to delve back into the world of Skyrim if I want to figure out what I want from this story. It's a bit of an uncharted territory, I usually know exactly how I want a story to go down, and it will be the first time I've paused a work to discover what I want for it or how it needs to line up. I'm not lacking in ideas... just the journey that Silvea and Kaidan will take. So apologies in advance for the delay if it happens, I know I already have a schedule promised and lined up on my website and I will attempt to follow it but it really depends on what I discover or learn.

Kaidan was quick to react the sight of the beast, wrapping his arms around Silvea, covering her mouth and diving into some brush by the road in hopes that they hadn't already been spotted by the terror. Silvea watched in quiet fear as the dragon let out a mighty roar of victory before swooping away and screeching in some other part of the sky.

When the roars had faded, Kaidan finally released Silvea, climbing out of the shrubs and dusting himself off. Silvea let out a cough she'd been holding in and wiped her mouth on her sleeve. The air was thick with smoke and the unnatural smell of burning flesh. But other than the crackles and clicks of the fires and the eerie way the wind howled through the mountains, it was uncomfortably quiet.

"What was that thing?" Silvea asked quietly, staring at Kaidan as his eyes continued to search the skies for the monster.

"Impossible... That's what it was... There hasn't been a dragon in... an incredibly long time, if you believe the stories..." Kaidan was shaking and Silvea could tell that the man was terrified and she was too. If this dragon had wiped a city off the face of the map so effortlessly, who knows what else it could accomplish.

"We should look for survivors." Silvea said seriously, eyes drifting to the gates of the small, wrecked town. Kaidan's eyes followed hers and he nodded. 

"Aye. We should. But I wouldn't get your hopes up." He said grimly, making his way to the gate and shoving it open. Silvea now could see the full extent of the desolation this creature had caused. What was once a proud, Nord town was now a walled devastation. Corpses burnt to a crisp and still smoldering were speckled to and fro, buildings were now nothing more than piles of ash and stone, still flickering and clicking and Silvea's soul wept.

They searched around but there was nothing... Until Silvea came across a leather-bound book that had been badly scorched. She picked it up as if it were the most delicate thing in the world and carefully opened it to read.

It was a journal and the person who had been writing in it had come from Cyrodiil from some sort of expedition. They had crossed the border illegally and had somehow ended up in the crossfire between the Empire and a group Silvea was unfamiliar with called the stormcloaks. Somehow, they had gotten their hands on a piece of charcoal and scribbled the last entry in the midst of the dragon attack, recounting the events through messy, panicked scribbles. A pair of men were mentioned by name, Hadvar and Ralof. According to the journal they had went into the lower keep. 

Silvea's brow furrowed. It was a long shot that these men were still alive but in such dire circumstances, she felt like she needed to investigate this keep. 

"We have to see if there's any survivors." she stated seriously and Kaidan nodded solemnly.

The keep was deserted, and with good reason. There had been several collapses and any bodies they found, it was clear that they had died from bad burns. The wind screeched through the empty halls where the surface had broken through and it almost felt colder inside the building rather than it had been outside.

After exploring the whole area, Silvea came to the conclusion that their must've been an exit on the other side of a collapsed pile of rubble, mostly because she could see through a crack that there was a bridge.

"Come on, we have to see if there's a cave nearby." Silvea rushed back out of the keep and down the path they had originally come in hopes of finding this second entrance.

They left the path and in only half an hour, managed to locate a cave close enough to Helgen that it seemed reasonable to enter. It was a relief to step inside and be shielded from the harsh, cold winds of Skyrim but it wasn't long before they heard a distinctly human groan. Kaidan and Silvea shared a glance before moving quickly but quietly to the source.

There was a man laying on the cave floor, covered by a bear corpse, hand shaking from shock and probably the cold too. He was badly injured, but he seemed surprised to see people. Not far off was a man who had been mauled to death.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" the man who was still alive asked roughly through coughs. Kaidan started work on quietly lifting the dead bear off the man.

"I came to see what was going on here." Silvea answered, helping Kaidan.

"Are you mad?" He was alarmed and it caused another coughing fit. "You need to warn Riverwood! Quit messing around and get down there!"

"What? No, you don't understand-" Silvea was about to explain her intent to rescue him but he interrupted.

"No, you don't understand..." he said pointedly, coughing some more before letting out a sigh. "Oh, to Oblivion with it. You're here and I need help. I need a healing potion before I can go on. Once I'm back on my feet we can go together. Assuming that dragon isn't still lurking about."

Silvea nodded, pulling out a potion she'd found in the other part of the keep and cradling his head to give it to him. He sipped it eagerly before letting out a sigh that sounded much less pained. 

"That's much better. Let's get out of- look out!" The cave started to rumble and some of its ceiling fell to the ground with loud cracks of rock and Kaidan and Silvea took a step back, the debrie just barely missing their new companion. "We've got to hurry. Before this cave comes down on us." 

The duo nodded their agreement and started sprinting out of the cave quickly, breathing out sighs of relief after they exited the cave.

"Looks like he's gone for good this time. But I don't think we should stick around to see if he comes back. My name's Hadvar. And I appreciate what you did back there. I know you didn't have to. Closest town from here is Riverwood. My uncle's the blacksmith there. I'm sure he'd help you out." 

"Silvea Feye. And this is my companion, Kaidan." Kaidan gave a wave, quietly observing Hadvar. "We were on our way across the border when we came across the dragon attacking Helgen..." 

"You're from Cyrodiil?"

"Not exactly." Silvea admitted. "I was trying to get there, but I think it's fair to say, helping you warn Riverwood is a bigger priority." Hadvar nodded and they made their way down the hill until they came to a familiar path and followed it down to Riverwood. 

"It's probably best if we split up. Good luck. I wouldn't have made it out without your help today." Hadvar stated before starting to limp his way in that direction. The potion had helped, sure, but it could only do so much for him and mostly, it just relieved him of severe pain. Silvea and Kaidan followed, not about to leave the man for dead when there was no guarantee that he'd get to civilization alive by himself.

"We're heading back to Riverwood for the night anyways." Silvea stated, looking at the sun hanging low on the horizon. They definitely could not make it through the border when they couldn't see where they were going. Hadvar was quiet a while, contemplating his newfound, temporary companions.

"Listen, you should go to Solitude and join up with the Imperial Legion. We could really use some like you." He stated, turning to look at the both of them. Sure, Hadvar hadn't seen them fight, but after the multitude of bad luck he had today, anyone who survived a dragon attack, whether present for the brunt of it or not, he would deem worthy. His expression turned grim. "And if the rebels have themselves a dragon, General Tulius is the only one who can stop them."

Silence flooded them a moment as they continued down the path, trying to understand the strange and inexplicable events of the day. Smoke still hung in the air, though it was no longer billowing towards the sky. It was more like a remnant reminder of the death and destruction that had been witnessed by Nirn today. Hadvar paused once he reached a spot on the path were they could see ancient arches, standing defiantly towards the sky, highlighted by the orange-pink glow of the sun dipping towards the horizon.

"See that ruin up there?" he pointed and Silvea's eyes were drawn to it as she examined it. "Bleak Falls Barrow... When I was a boy, that place always used to give me nightmares... Draugr creeping down the mountain to climb through my window at night, that kind of thing. I admit, I still don't like the look of it."

Once again, they made their way down the path. But it wasn't very long until Hadvar stopped at a set of three stones, proudly pointing towards the sky with carvings on them. She and Kaidan had walked past them on their journey to Helgen earlier, but now that Silvea was considering the possibility of remaining in Skyrim a while longer to at least understand the world better, maybe help, she was interested in their stories and learning more about the land.

"What are these?" she asked, knowing that Hadvar would tell her. He seemed to like to talk since he had been so close to never speaking again when death started to wrap its grip around him in the cave.

"These are the Guardian Stones, three of the thirteen ancient standing stones that dot Skyrim's landscape. Go ahead, see for yourself."

Silvea tentatively stepped up the steps, fingers finding her way to the carvings and tracing them curiously. A man with a battleaxe stood proudly on one. A man with flowing locks, telling of wisdom and time, holding a staff and wearing a robe covered in runes was on another. Her eyes fell on the last one, a hooded figure with a dagger and a pouch. Something was different when she touched this one. Her fingers brushed the ancient stone and the etchings glowed for a moment before a dramatic, blue beam of light pieced the sky and spread across the horizon in all directions. She looked at Hadvar for some explanation, but if there was one in what he said, she did not grasp it.

"Thief, eh? It's never too late to take charge of your own fate, you know." he said, starting down the path again. Silvea and Kaidan followed quietly. Kaidan seemed to be occupied by thoughts of the dragon still, and she wasn't going to bother him or force him to converse when he was clearly more comfortable being left with his thoughts at the moment.

"Listen, as far as I'm concerned, you've earned your papers to cross into Cyrodiil. But until we get that cleared by General Tulius, just stay clear of the border and avoid any complications, alright?" Hadvar spoke with a understanding look, eyes falling upon the small town in the distance. "I'm glad you decided to come with me. We're almost to Riverwood."

Hadvar limped the rest of the way in a jog, only slowing once he reached the gate and found the streets to be filled with people and life. 

"Things look quiet enough here." Hadvar breathed a sigh of relief.

"A dragon! I saw a dragon!" an old woman shrieked from her porch, as if taunting them.

"What? What is it now, mother?" a young man asked, pausing in his walking to look at her with an obviously annoyed look.

"It was as big as a mountain, and black as night. It flew right over the barrow." the lady informed him and he sighed heavily.

"Dragons, now, is it?" he rubbed his face. "Please, mother. If you keep on like this everyone in town will think you're crazy. And I've got better things to do than listen to more of your fantasies." He lifted up the logs in his arms as if to demonstrate.

"You'll see! It was a dragon! It'll kill us all and then you'll believe me!" Silvea and Kaidan shared a glance before looking at Hadvar who looked a mixture of concerned and relieved.

"Come on. There's my uncle." he pointed to the man working the forge and made his way to him. "Uncle Alvor! Hello!"

"Hadvar?" The man stepped away from the forge and moved to get a better view of the man who had addressed him. "What are you doing here? Are you on leave from- Shor's bones! What happened to you, boy? Are you in some kind of trouble?" Hadvar shushed his uncle.

"Uncle, please, keep your voice down. I'm fine." Hadvar promised, glancing at the door. "But we should go inside to talk."

"What's going on?" Alvor asked, eyes flying to Silvea and Kaidan. "And who are they?"

"They're friends. Silvea Feye and Kaidan. Saved my life, in fact." he introduced and Silvea and Kaidan nodded in quiet greeting, not sure what to say. "Come on. I'll explain everything, but we need to go inside." Alvor looked between the three of them and then sighed in resignation.

"Okay, okay. Come on inside." He said, guiding them to the door and opening it for them to step in. "Sigrid will get you something to eat and you can tell us what happened."

The home was small, modest, but so warm and welcoming in comparison to the cold evening of Skyrim. Silvea's cheeks were greeted by the heat of a nearby fire and she let out a content breath. 

"Sigrid! We have company! Alvor called, sitting down at the table. Sigrid came from downstairs, eyes falling on her nephew immediately. 

"Hadvar! We've been so worried about you!" She was ecstatic to see him alright... relatively speaking. She seemed to notice Silvea and Kaidan only after she was hugged by Hadvar. "Come, you three must be hungry. Sit down and I'll get you something to eat."

"Now then, boy." Alvor started once everyone was seated. "What's the big mystery? What are you doing here looking like you lost an argument with a cave bear?"

"I don't know where to start..." Hadvar admitted, looking at a loss for words. "You know I was assigned to General Tulius' guard. We were stopped in Helgen when we were attacked... by a dragon."

"A dragon?! That's ridiculous... You're not drunk, are you, boy?" Alvor's eyes narrowed as he looked for indications that Hadvar had one too many ales.

"Husband... Let him tell his story." Sigrid scolded, setting down bowls of stew for each of her guests.

"Not much more to tell..." Hadvar sighed softly, running a dirty hand through his hair before starting to eat. Silvea ate slowly, not having much of an appetite and Kaidan seemed to eat only because he needed the energy, otherwise, she was sure he'd be content to starve himself while he thought. "This dragon flew over and just wrecked the whole place. Mass confusion. I don't know if anyone else got out alive. I doubt I'd have made it out myself if not for my friends here."

"We searched the place pretty thoroughly, but Hadvar is the only person we found still breathing." Silvea explained with a regretful frown.

"I need to get back to Solitude and let them know what happened. I thought you could help us out. Food, supplies, a play to stay." Hadvar explained, looking at his uncle hopefully.

"Of course, any friend of Hadvar's is are friends of mine. I'm glad to help in any way I can. Help yourself to whatever you need, within reason." Alvor stated seriously and his wife nodded in agreement. "But I need your help... We need your help."

"What is it?" Silvea raised an eyebrow. A place to stay where she didn't need to spend coin was admirable since they only had so much gold to split between the two of them.

"The Jarl needs to know if there's a dragon on the loose. Riverwood is defenseless... We need to get word to Jarl Balgruuf in Whiterun to send whatever soldiers he can. If you'll do that for me, I'll be in your debt." Silvea nodded.

"We can do that." she assured, giving a tentative smile.

"Whiterun is quite the journey..." Kaidan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll get some bedrolls ready for you three." Sigrid agreed, heading downstairs.

"Alright. We'll make sure you're prepared for the journey in the morning." Alvor agreed, standing. 

"Hadvar!" A little girl who had been sitting on a nearby bed listening contently, finally piped up. "Did you really see a dragon? What did it look like? Did it have big teeth?"

"Hush, child. Don't pester your cousin." Sigrid, scolded, looking tenderly at Hadvar with an apologetic expression, he nodded a thanks.

"Well, I'd better get some sleep. Don't mind me, though. You three make yourselves at home." Alvor stated, standing and kissing his wife on the cheek before making his way to bed.

Silvea and Kaidan quietly ate some stew that Alvor's daughter brought them.

"Are you alright? You've been quiet today..." Silvea asked, looking at her companion with concern.

"I suppose I'm just adjusting to everything..." Kaidan admitted quietly. Silvea nodded to show that she understood. "How about you? Your trip to Chorral has been delayed..."

"I'll be fine. Making sure these people get the protection they need is more important." Silvea said seriously and Kaidan agreed with a nod. "Can I ask something?"

"Of course, what were you wondering?"

"What brings you to Skyrim?" she asked, figuring it was important to understand why he would stay with a civil war and now a dragon crisis underway. Kaidan was quiet a moment.

"I've spent a long time wandering. This is where my feet led me."

"There's more to it than that, surely?"

"Aye, isn't there always?" Kaidan gave a bitter chuckle. "To own the truth, I've come back to Skyrim to learn something of my heritage, my bloodline. The few clues I have pointed me here but it takes time to decode so I'm paying my way by collecting bounties."

"You... don't really look like a Nord?" Silvea admitted, raising an eyebrow. All Nords she'd seen to this point looked nothing like Kaidan. Kaidan's complexion was purer and his hair was darker. His jaw was smooth and not anywhere near as square as any of the Nord men's she had seen.

"Well, aren't you observant?" Kaidan smirked. "I was raised by a Nord, and as one. But no, that Atmoran Ice doesn't run in my veins. Can't be certain what does."

"You have no family to ask?" Silvea frowned. Kaidan seemed to be just as alone as she was.

"Not anymore. Perhaps I do have blood kin out there, but I've never known them."

"You don't even know your own race?"

"No. I have no Voice of the Emperor, or Dragonskin magic, I don't know the race of my mother. All I have is a hunch, but I need proof." Kaidan took a swig of the ale he'd been given and Silvea was quiet a moment.

"Perhaps I could help you solve this?" 

"You'd do that? I suppose I could use the help. The best clue I have is my sword, but I'm certain we could find out more in our travels... But what about your quest to learn more about your heritage?"

"I know where I come from. I know who I am... And with this dragon thing... I don't know I want to see if I can help so I might be here a while and I figured, if I could help you on the way, it would be a way to repay you."

"Repay me? You're the one who saved my life." Kaidan reminded, crossing his arms.

"Yes. But you've taught me how to tie my hair, to fire a bow, and not to mention you prevented me becoming dragon fodder earlier today. I'd say it's me who owes you now."

"Alright. But I'm not comfortable being in charge so you're leading this duo of misfits." Kaidan said with a smile and Silvea giggled.

"Fine. Fine, I'll still make the calls." Silvea agreed, standing up and heading down stairs. "I'm going to get some rest, we have an important mission tomorrow." 

"Feye?"

"Yes, Kaidan?" Silvea paused, looking up at him. He bit his lip before smiling.

"Sleep well. I'll be down in a bit."

"Alright. Don't stay up too late." she murmured with a smirk and he shot her a playful glare before she found her way to the bedroll she'd been provided and drifted off to sleep.


	4. Mission from the Jarl, but a Gift from a Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the delay. I have been a little behind this month, I'm trying to get a lot of handmade gifts done, and Tumblr's been exploding. I know these are not the best excuses, but they're the only ones I have. On the bright side, I do know what I'm going to do for next chapter now, and I hope you enjoy it.

The next morning, Silvea was up bright and early. Kaidan lay asleep, not far from her as she quietly crept up the stairs only to be greeted by eggs and warm bread made by Sigrid. Silvea thanked her and ate quietly.

In the time that it took her to finish eating, Kaidan had come upstairs, obviously tired from not sleeping too well. She couldn't blame him. While the dragon had felt just as new to her as the rest of the world, Kaidan had spent plenty of years outside the abandoned prison, all of them dragon-less. But even she hadn't been immune to nightmares of the charred corpses and smoke. 

Silvea took the time to learn to cook from Sigrid since she had a hearth and teacher available while Kaidan ate his breakfast. She mostly learned how to cook meat and boil fat, but it would definitely help them survive long journeys with low food stores. And Sigrid was sure that Silvea would one day be a very skilled cook.

They picked up their bags of supplies and made their way to the door, saying goodbyes and promising that Jarl would be told of the dangers this small hamlet faced. First, though, they made their way to the Riverwood Trader across the way, knowing they'd get to Whiterun faster if they had less they had to haul.

"Well, one of us has to do something!" a woman shouted as Silvea opened the door, giving her and Kaidan pause.

"I said 'no!' No adventures, no theatrics, no thief chasing!" a man yelled back.

"Well, what are you going to do then, huh? Let's hear it!" the woman insisted, much to the man's dismay.

"We are done talking about this." he hissed but he looked like a cornered rabbit for a moment once he noticed two extra people in the room. "Oh, customers. Sorry you had to hear that..."

Silvea walked to the counter and dug through her supplies for things she didn't need, pretending the argument hadn't even happened for the shop owner's sake. She didn't have much he would buy and she didn't get much for what he did take off of her, but the road would be a little easier.

"Did something happen?" She asked after a while, nicking her head towards the woman he'd been arguing. 

"Yes, we did have a bit of a... a break-in..." the man blushed heavily in embarrassment. "But we still have plenty to sell. Robbers were only after one thing. An ornament, solid gold. In the shape of a dragon's claw."

"If I come across it in my travels, I could get the claw back to you." Silvea offered and Kaidan raised a brow at her generosity. 

"You could? I've got some coin coming in from my last shipment. It's yours if you bring my claw back." Silvea nodded in agreement and the man smiled. "If you're going to get those thieves, you should head to Bleak Falls Barrow, northeast of town."

"So, this is your plan, Lucan?" the woman barked, eyes narrowed at him.

"Yes." He said firmly, leveling his gaze. "So, now you don't have to go, do you?"

"Oh, really?" the woman's eyes lit up. "Well, I think your new helpers here need a guide."

"Wh-no... I..." Lucan looked between his sister and the adventurers, shoulders dropping. "Oh, by the Eight, fine! But only to the edge of town!"

"We have to go through town and across the bridge to get to Bleak Falls Barrow." the woman informed as they exited the shop. "You can see it from here. The mountain just over the buildings. Those thieves must be mad, hiding out there. Those old crypts are filled with nothing but traps, trolls, and who knows what else! I wonder why they only stole Lucan's golden claw. I mean, we have plenty of things in the shop that are worth just as much coin."

"What's the story behind the claw?" Silvea asked, curious as to why anyone would have such an ornament in the first place.

"Lucan found the claw about a year after he opened the store," she explained as they passed under the town gate. "He never quite explained where he got it. He's a tricky one. This is the bridge out of town. The path up the mountain to the northwest leads to Bleak Falls Barrow. I guess I should get back to my brother. He'll throw a fit if I take too long. Such a child..."

They crossed the bridge and once they were out of earshot, Kaidan sighed, making a comment that she talked too much. The road back to Whiterun was a three-hour journey down a familiar path. 

When they reached the outskirts, Silvea noticed a broken cart by the side of the road that hadn't been there the day before. Her curiosity got the better of her and she walked up to the rubble and looked through it. She didn't find much other than a couple small bags of salt, and a tattered letter that suggested the cart's original owners were bandits that made camp in a mine in the region called Hjaalmarch. It wasn't particularly useful, but Silvea liked the souvenir just the same.

Once they were on their way again, Kaidan paused, grabbing her wrist and looking at her with a calculated gaze.

"Let's stop for lunch first," he stated quietly and Silvea nodded, finding an old tree stump and using it as a chair as she dug through her sack and picked out her meal: a carrot, and some beef that was probably not going to be good for much longer.

"There's something on your mind," Silvea observed, taking a tentative bite of her beef. She may have not known him long, but it was easy to tell that his mind was preoccupied.

"What are you going to tell the Jarl?"

"The truth. I realize that it's outlandish, but Riverwood does need some sort of defense." Silvea murmured, sighing. "I have to try."

"Aye. We both do." Kaidan agreed with a nod, tearing a piece of gristle of his meat with his teeth and eating quietly. Their thoughts were interrupted by a war cry and a loud thunk, causing both of them to spring to their feet and draw their weapons.

There was a giant not far off, being attacked by a group of three warriors. Silvea and Kaidan sprung into action but by the time they reached the giant, it was already downed.

"Well, that's taken care of. No thanks to you." one of the two women said with a small glare.

"You didn't look like you needed help," Silvea stated seriously, crossing her arms after she returned her mace to the spot on her hip.

"Certainly not. But a true warrior would've relished the opportunity to take on a giant," the woman informed. "That's why I'm here, with my Shield-Brothers." 

"What is a Shield-Brother?" Silvea couldn't help ask curiously.

"An outsider, eh? Never heard of the Companions?" Silvea shook her head in confirmation. "An order of warriors. We are brothers and sisters in honor. And we show up to solve problems if the coin is good enough.

"Can I join you?" Silvea asked with raised brows. She wasn't sure what her response would be.

"Not for me to say," the woman replied, gazing at her curiously. "You'll have to speak to Kodlak Whitemane up in Jorvaskar. The old man's got a good sense for people. He can look in your eyes and tell your worth. If you go to him, good luck."

And with that, they were off, heading towards the direction of Whiterun.

"Do you just want to offer your services to anyone who requires your assistance?" Kaidan asked with a raised brow.

"Why not? If I can help, what's to stop me?" Silvea countered and he didn't have a good response so he merely grumbled and went to collect what was left of his meal. They found a new spot to eat, not far from the stables and sat down a while longer.

"By Ysmir, it's true!" a woman was telling a man in front of it. "A jester - funny suit and all. Just north, by the Lorius Farm. Fool had a coffin and a cart, with a broken wheel. Like to see him laugh his way out of that."

And with that, they both broke into a fit of laughter, but Kaidan looked mildly alarmed that Silvea might spring to the rescue of this jester instead of warning the Jarl. 

"Well, sounds like you've had quite the journey, Uthgerd." the man replied with a smile. "But you were gone longer than usual. I got to thinking maybe you weren't coming back..."

"You sound like my ma." The woman joked, nudging him with her shoulder. "Figured I was lying dead in a field somewhere, is that it?"

"Thought did cross my mind, yeah," he admitted sadly. "War brewing, talk of a riot in Helgen, and now jesters? Skyrim's gone mad, girl. You need to be careful out there."

"Careful, huh? Thanks, Skulvar. I'll remember that." she smirked with a teasing tone before breaking into another hearty laugh. "Yeah, right."

Not long after the conversation ended and the two people went about their business, Kaidan and Silvea finished eating and packed up. The trek to the gate felt unfamiliar. But a guard stood in their way as soon as they were in view.

"Halt," he said sternly. "City's closed with the dragons about. Official business only." Silvea and Kaidan shared a serious glance.

"I have news about the dragons," she said firmly.

"Fine," the guard relented. "But we'll be keeping an eye on you."

They opened the gate and Kaidan and Silvea cautiously made their way inside. The city was much larger than Riverwood or Helgen and Silvea's eyes were drawn to the buzzing streets. 

The first sounds they were greeted with was a pair of people arguing.

"We'll pay whatever it takes," a man said in a low grumble. "But we must have more swords for the Imperial soldiers."

"I just can't fill an order that size on my own." the woman replied solemnly. "Why don't you swallow that stubborn pride of yours and ask Eorland Grey-Mane for help?"

"Ha! I'd sooner bend my knee to Ulfric Stormcloak." the man retorted, crossing his arms. "Besides, Grey-Mane would never make steel for the Legion."

"Have it your way," the woman sighed. "I'll take the job, but don't expect a miracle."

It seemed the town was filled with arguments because once they were at the top of some stairs and approaching a grand, leafless tree, another one could be heard.

"I know your family's honor is important to you," a woman said with an annoyed look. "But you can't afford it!"

"It took me weeks to find that thieves den," the man she was arguing with replied. "I can't stop now. And I can't get the sword on my own."

"So you're willing to starve your wife and daughter to reclaim some rusty, old sword?" 

"I need to hire one, maybe two, good men." the man reasoned with a sigh. "You won't starve."

"I'll put it plainly," the woman started, glaring at him. "You can claim your sword, or you can keep your wife. If you set foot outside that gate, I won't be here when you return."

And with that, she walked off, leaving him calling after her.

"Saffir! Wait, I..." But his calls fell on deaf ears.

Kaidan and Silvea made their way up some more steps and over a bridge. They tentatively stepped inside, finding the hall warm and musky in comparison to the crisp air outside.

It was a grand building with ceilings that reached for the sky and it gave Silvea a sense of awe as she took in the grandeur. She made her way further into the hall, eyes taking in the sights when her mind drifted to something a man was saying with an urgent voice.

"My lord, please. This is no time for rash action. I just think we need more information before we act. I just-"

"Who's this then?" the man he was talking to asked, staring at Silvea and Kaidan.

"What's the meaning of this interruption?" A woman growled, blade drawn. "Jarl Balgruuf is not receiving visitors."

"Alvor sent me. Riverwood is in danger." Silvea said seriously.

"As housecarl, my job is to deal with all dangers that threaten the Jarl or his people." the woman informed roughly. "So you have my attention, now explain yourself."

"I was told to give the message directly to the Jarl." Silvea replied simply.

"Whatever you have to say to the Jarl, you can say to me. I'm starting to think-"

"Irileth, it's alright." the Jarl interrupted with a firm voice. "I want to hear what she has to say."

"And you?" Irileth asked, blade pointed at Kaidan.

"I'm with hear. A witness." he answered evenly.

Irileth was quiet a moment, sheathing her weapon and stepping aside. Silvea stepped forward and Kaidan was never far behind, as if shielding her from the defensive housecarl. 

"What's this about Riverwood being in danger?" Balgruuf asked with a raised eyebrow.

"A dragon destroyed Helgen. Alvor is afraid Riverwood is next." Silvea explained, daring to look into the man's eyes.

"Alvor?" he asked, thinking carefully. "The smith, isn't he? Reliable, solid fellow. Not prone to flights of fancy... And you're sure Helgen was destroyed by a dragon? This wasn't some Stormcloak raid gone wrong?"

"I was there." Silvea stated unblinkingly. "I saw the dragon burn Helgen to the ground."

"By Ysmir, Irileth was right!" the Jarl exclaimed, turning to the man he'd been arguing with. "What do you say now, Proventus? Shall we continue to trust in the strengths of our walls? Against a dragon?"

"My lord, we should send troops to Riverwood at once." Irileth suggested, looking to him for his answer. "It's in the most immediate danger, if that dragon is lurking in the mountains-"

"The Jarl of Falkreath will view that as a provocation!" Proventus interrupted urgently. "He'll assuming we're preparing to join Ulfric's side and attack him. We should not-"

"Enough!" The Jarl shouted and everyone in the hall seemed to shrink back. "I'll not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people! Irileth, send a detachment to Riverwood at once."

"Yes, my Jarl." the housecarl replied dutifully. 

"If you'll excuse me, I'll return to my duties..." Proventus said carefully. 

"That would be best." Balgruuf agreed, turning to once again look at Silvea with a softened gaze. "Well done, you sought me out, on your own initiative. You've done Whiterun a service, and I won't forget it. Here, take this as a token of my esteem." From a basket behind his throne, he pulled out a large, cloth parcel and handed it to her.

It was very heavy. Silvea pulled at the string tying it together and the cloth revealed a set of steel armor. It wasn't her style, too heavy, but she appreciated the gesture. 

"Thank you, my Jarl." Silvea murmured with a soft smile and Kaidan carefully took it from her to restore the parcel before putting it in his own pack so she didn't have to haul it around. "I don't know what to say."

"There is another thing you could do for me." the Jarl admitted after a moment. "Suitable for someone of your particular talents, perhaps. Come, let's go find Farengar, my court wizard. He's been looking into a matter related to dragons and... rumors of dragons." 

With that, Balgruuf lifted himself off of his perch on his throne and made his way to a room not far from where they had been. Silvea and Kaidan followed tentatively behind.

"Farengar, I think I've found someone who can help you with your dragon project. Go ahead and fill them in on the details." 

"So the Jarl thinks you can be of use to me?" Farengar questioned, looking at them. "Oh, yes, he must be referring to my research into the dragons. Yes, I could use someone to fetch something for me... Well, when I say 'fetch,' I really mean 'delve into a dangerous ruin in search of an ancient stone tablet that may or may not actually be there.'"

"What does this have to with dragons?" Silvea questioned, eyes narrowing.

"Ah, no mere brute mercenary, but a thinker - perhaps even a scholar?" Farengar's eyes seemed to light up as if he was impressed in the most minute of ways. "You see, when the stories of dragons began to circulate, many dismissed them as mere fantasies, rumors. Impossibilities. One sure mark of a fool is to dismiss anything that falls outside his experience as being impossible. But I began to search for information about dragons - where had they gone all those years ago? And where were they coming from?"

"So what do you need me to do?" she asked, needing more information about the thing she was fetching.

"I, uh, learned of a certain stone tablet said to be housed in Bleak Falls Barrow." A name she had heard all to frequently, recently. "A 'Dragonstone' said to contain a map of dragon burial sites. Go to Bleak Falls Barrow, find this tablet - no doubt interred in the main chamber - and bring it to me. Simplicity itself!"

"I can't help but wonder if they have the means to decipher this 'Dragonstone.'" Kaidan whispered with a smirk and she shot him a playful glare.

"Alright, I'll bring you your stone." She agreed, nodding to further prove her conviction.

"This is a priority now." Balgruuf declared seriously. "Anything we can use to fight this dragon, or dragons. We need it, quickly. Before it's too late."

"Of course, Jarl Balgruuf. You seem to have found me some able assistants. I'm sure they'll prove quite useful." Farengar assured, eyes scanning the both of them. Balgruuf turned to look at them as well.

"Succeed at this, and you'll be rewarded. Whiterun will be in your debt." And with that, he made his way back to his throne and Kaidan and Silvea shared a glance before leaving.

It was getting late. A trip to Bleak Falls this late at night was not a wise idea, and they'd need their energy and strength if there was a lot of climbing and some thieves. They made their way down to the Bannered Mare and got their bearings as they looked around the crowded in. 

"I'll be right back. You make yourself comfortable, I won't be gone long." Kaidan stated, going back out into the street and leaving Silvea in the tavern.

Silvea sat down and quietly enjoyed some food and water from her pack; some horker loaf that Sigrid had been kind enough to give her and a wedge of goat cheese. 

Not too long after he left, Kaidan returned, sitting down next to her with his shoulders hunched. 

"Septim for your thoughts." Silvea murmured, scooting just a little closer and looking at him expectantly.

"The defenses here are worrying." Kaidan growled, sighing. "There are no ramparts on the walls and the surrounding land is too flat. Makes the strategic layout of the city all but pointless."

"Are you always so on-edge?" she laughed.

"I've been taught my whole life to stay aware of my surrounds." he explained, expression growing tender. "It's one of the reasons I'm still alive."

"So when the Thalmor ambushed you..." she teased and he shot her a playful glare before gently pushing her off the bench and onto the floor.

She let out a yelp and then they both chuckled, and he helped her up off the ground.

"So you went out to check on the city's defenses?" she asked with a raised brow, sitting down on the bench again but a bit further from him to avoid being pushed onto the floor again, should the mood take him.

"No, actually. I got all that when we were entering the city." Kaidan answered, taking a sip from the contents of the mug he'd been offered by a wench. "But it had been wearing on my mind most of the evening. Not that the city would fair well against a flying, fire-breathing beast with ramparts, but I can't help but be concerned."

"So what were you doing out there, if you don't mind me asking?" Silvea questioned and Kaidan hummed quietly as he considered something.

"I was getting something for you, actually." Kaidan answered with an uncertain smile.

"Something for me?"

"Yeah, I mean, you did 'do Whiterun a service.' And I'm sure you're now the hero of Riverwood." he teased and she playfully shoved at him. He reached into his pack and pulled out a lute. "Here. I saw you eyeing one at Fleetford. I don't know if you had your heart set on that one, but I hope you'll enjoy this one just the same."

"Oh, Kaidan... That's so kind of you. Thank you." Silvea examined the instrument carefully, as if she was afraid touching it too firmly would break it.

"Do you know how to play?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. The question crossed his mind when he saw her looking at it as if she didn't know where to start.

"I do. But I've never played a real one." She confessed, smiling softly. She tried a few chords without playing them and nodded. "Yeah. I'll be right back."

She got up and spoke to the inn-keeper, asking if she could perform. Hulda lit up at the idea and agreed, promising pay for any song as long as it was good. Silvea carefully made her way to an unoccupied space by the fire where she could be seen and held the lute, taking a deep breath as her fingers found the strings. 

The song was a fast one, but Silvea had years of practice behind her, even if it had never been with a real instrument. It rang off her lute and into the inn with a gleeful sound and Silvea's heart swelled with joy. A few people clapped once the song was over and Silvea found her way over to Hulda again with a nervous expression. 

Hulda had enjoyed the performance enough to give both Silvea and Kaidan free rooms for the night as well as pay enough to by another room and it felt relieving to not have to pay an arm and a leg for a room, let alone two.

Silvea sat down next to Kaidan again with a smile and he gave an approving nod.

"I was a little concerned that I didn't get you a good gift, but I think that's the first genuine smiles I've ever seen on your face." He paused for a moment as if he wanted so say something else but he didn't.

"Were you going to ask something?" she prodded nervously and he bit his lip.

"You know, I'm curious about you." he suggested, trying to shove down some nervousness neither of them understood. "Do you have any family?"

 "No, I'm alone in this world..." Silvea admitted, sighing. "My family died when I was very young, in that prison. But my father taught me to read, write, and use magic, and my mother taught me how to play music and sing."

"I know the feeling, but blood doesn't make a family." Kaidan said softly and then he hesitated. "There are many that care about you. Myself among them."

"Thank you, Kaidan, I appreciate that." Silvea smiled, taking another sip of her water. "Will you tell me more of your story as well?"

"Well, you know I was raised by a Nord, Brynjar." Kaidan started, taking a swig of his ale. "He was a bounty hunter, so I spent most of my childhood travelling Tamriel, and crisscrossing Skyrim. Of course, as I go on I'm finding there was more to it than that. The constant moving, teaching me how to live in the wilderness, training every day to fight. I learned how use a sword before I'd even learned how to read."

"Sounds like you had just as odd of a childhood as mine." Silvea observed and he chuckled.

"For my thirteenth birthday, he took me on a hunting trip in the wilderness - and when I woke the next morning he was nowhere to be found. All he'd left me was some flint, a knife, and an empty waterskin. It took me two days to get back to civilization, but I'd learned the importance of sufficiency by then."

"What?" Silvea gasped, unable to hide her smile. "Why would he do that?"

"I think Brynjar was running from something, and he spent my whole life teaching me how to defend myself from whatever it was." Kaidan mused, running his fingers through his hair. "Not that he ever told me. He was always vague about his past, and even more so about mine. Always promising to tell me about it one day, and then dying before he ever got around to it... That run-in with the Thalmor seems to have shed some light on it though."

"And your mother...?" she couldn't help but pry. He had mentioned her the night before.

"No, I don't know much about my mother, only that sword I have once belonged to her, or so Brynjar told me." Kaidan smiled tentatively. "He also said she was brave and beautiful and clever, but never anything actually useful. After his death, I took up the job of bounty-hunting - it was all I knew, really - and it's led me to some interesting places. In some other years I... well, perhaps the less said about parts of my past, the better..."

"You don't want to tell me?" Silvea wasn't hurt by this, they both had dark and mysterious pasts, she couldn't imagine what he was holding back, though.

"It's not something worth retelling." he answered, taking the last swig of his ale and standing up. "I'm going to go to bed now. Goodnight, Feye."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" 

"I'm not angry at you. I promise." Kaidan's gaze softened only slightly. "Get some rest, we'll be delving into some pretty dangerous ruins tomorrow from the sounds of it. You'll want your wits about you."

"Alright... Goodnight, Kaidan. Sleep well, I'll see you in the morning." she relented, slowly standing.

"The same to you."

"And Kaidan...?" He paused, turning to look at her again. "Thank you for sharing more of your past with me."

"Thank you for telling me about your parents. I'd like to hear more about them sometime." 

"I'm sure that can be arranged." Silvea smirked. "Now get some rest, brooding and silent."

"Hypocrite." he glared playfully, heading off to his room. 

Silvea made her way to her own room, not able to fall asleep right away. Her thoughts drifted to Kaidan. Had she been too hasty in asking about him? She couldn't be sure. He didn't seem to mind completely. But it was difficult to tell since she knew very little about communicating with people, and she even less about how Kaidan communicated. 

After about an hour or so, she was finally able to drift off, nervous about what the day would bring when she woke.


	5. Another Mystery, Unveiled in Bleak Falls Barrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm late. I'm so sorry. I had some really bad writer's block on another story, but I am going to try my darndest to be completely caught up with my schedule by the new year. I'll have two stories finished up next month, maybe three. And that will definitely help me keep on track.

Silvea crawled out of her bed the next morning with a heavy yawn as she padded her way down the stairs and to Hulda.

"Good morning, Hulda."

"Silvea, good morning. I hope your rest was enjoyable." 

"Yes. Thank you for the room."

"Thank you for the refreshingly new but cheerful song. The resident bard, Mikael prefers brooding ballads about star-crossed lovers, and his song list can get a little repetitive when you're working with him from dusk til dawn." Hulda admitted with a smile. 

"Perhaps I'll play here again next time I stay. I know quite a few songs. I'll try to learn some Nordic ones too." Silvea promised with a smile. She pulled her breakfast out of her sack and ate happily at the bar until Kaidan joined her on the adjacent stool. "Did you sleep well, Kaidan?"

"Well, enough. I suppose. We should stop for a few supplies before we make our way out to Bleakfalls. And I'm going to give you combat training on the road today." Kaidan said seriously. "I know that refusing the Jarl would've been rude if not something that would get us tossed in a cell for a day or two, but the fact of the matter is, you're unprepared for an adventure like this."

"Alright..." Silvea grew serious as well, not expecting Kaidan to be so stern this early in the morning.

"Maybe we should see the court wizard and pick up a spellbook too. You seem to have a knack for magic." Kaidan mused. Silvea shook her head.

"I actually found a spellbook when we were investigating Helgen. I could study that, might as well save our coin for now." she reasoned, pulling an old, dusty tome from her rucksack to assure him. He seemed to relax ever so slightly, but Silvea had a feeling that the scowl that was plaguing his features was to remain there for the duration of the day.

Kaidan ate quietly and Silvea stared at the fire aimlessly until he was ready to go. They stepped out into the sun and were greeted almost immediately by an argument between three people.

"Foolish old woman! You know nothing!" An old man growled, knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists. "Nothing of our struggles, our suffering!"

"Nothing?" The woman questioned, eyes narrowing. "And what of my son? Hmm? What of Thorald? Is he nothing? So don't talk to me about suffering!"

"Your son chose his side, and he chose wrong." the man who had been arguing with the blacksmith the day before stated coldly. "And now he's gone. Such is the way of war. The sooner you accept his loss, the better."

"I will never accept his death! My son still lives." the woman replied seriously. "I feel it in my heart. So tell me, Battle-Borns, where is he? Where are you holding my Thorald?"

"Do you believe this old hag?" the elderly man questioned, looking at the other man. "'Holding him?' Why I've got him in my cellar. He's my prisoner." he mocked. Kaidan and Silvea had decided to wait to walk past until this argument was over. "Face it, cow! Your stupid son is dead! He died a Stormcloak traitor. And you... you best keep your mouth shut before you suffer the same."

The younger man seemed to notice Silvea and Kaidan and a vaguely apologetic gaze filled his features for an instant before he turned to look at the old man.

"Come on, father. There's nothing more to be said here." He encouraged and the men left.

Silvea and Kaidan finally made their way through the market and down to the gate. Ireleth was standing before a few guards, giving them a speech.

"The Jarl has finally agreed to send you back to Riverwood." the elf stated seriously.

"Yes, Housecarl." A guard replied dutifully. "We'll leave immediately."

"It's just us against a dragon, is that it?" Another guard questioned nervously.

"I can't afford to send anyone else," Ireleth explained sadly. "And we don't know where the dragon is. Your main job will be to keep an eye out and get the people to safety if the town is attacked. I don't expect the three of you to fight off a dragon by yourselves. But I do expect you to do your duty."

"Of course. We'll keep Riverwood safe. You can count on it." the third guard stated proudly. He turned to the other guards. "Let's move out. Time's a wasting."

The guards went through the gate and Ireleth stayed to watch before turning back up the path to Dragonsreach. 

Before leaving town, Silvea stopped by the blacksmith to sell the steel armor she'd received from the Jarl the day before. She was grateful for it, of course. But it was heavy and it would prevent them from making any progress in the ruins. 

With her spell tome in hand, they made their way down the path to Riverwood once more. The tome was fascinating and Silvea was actually enjoying it. Kaidan had volunteered to be her eyes so she could study, and would warn her when she was about to trip over a rock.

She put her hand out experimentally, mind focusing on the energy she could feel coursing through her veins; magika and spirit alike. To cast fire, she'd always snap her fingers first. It worked as friction, like two flint stones. But lightning was different. It was perhaps more volatile and primal.

The tome instructed her to focus the energy that flowed through her fingers, and she did. At the tip of one of her fingers, she felt a sensation of rapid energy charging and she pointed it to the sky. Lightning flew from her hand towards the clouds and in her other hand, the book turned to ash, swirling about in the wind until she could see it no longer. Kaidan had, of course, be surprised by the sound but he seemed more concerned by the book's disappearance. 

"Did you destroy the book with the spell?" he asked, crossing his arms and looking at her like a disapproving parent might. She shook her head.

"I was not casting the spell with that hand. It was like it left on its own. Maybe I don't need it anymore?" she suggested and he pointed to a rock. 

"Alright then. Cast the spell again." She narrowed her eyes but faced the rock, repeating the process a little faster this time and pointing her finger at it. A bolt of electricity shot from her finger and turned the moss covering the rock to ash. "Good. We should probably stop soon for training."

He drew his sword and dulled it by covering it in a hide, not wanting to her hurt. He held his hand out for her steel mace and did the same to it before handing it back to her.

"Avoid swinging for the head with training. Our weapons are dulled but that doesn't mean it couldn't still cause damage to bones if you swing hard enough." Silvea nodded in understanding. "Now, show me your battle stance."

Silvea shifted into her stance, holding her mace defensively. Kaidan, with a swift motion, swung the sword at her ankles and knocked her to the ground.

"Your stance is too wide." He scolded, offering a hand to help her up. She took it and they tried again. Once more she fell to the ground and he watched her with a critical stare. 

"Could you perhaps help me with my stance, instead of just vaguely telling me what's wrong?" she suggested and Kaidan paused, expression softening. 

"I'm sorry. I've been cruel today, haven't I?" he asked and she nodded. He sighed softly. "It's not your fault. I... I started coming to terms with some of my past last night and I suppose it's put me in a sour mood. I'll try to be less of an ass. Hold your mace as you would for combat." he ordered and she did. He stepped behind her and adjusted her limbs by occasionally prodding them into the proper position. "Bend your knees just a bit. Well done." 

"This is the proper stance?" Silvea asked and Kaidan nodded. "It does feel better."

"Would you like to try fighting me now, in that stance?" Kaidan questioned and it was her turn to nod. "Alright then, let's fight." 

The movements were quite a bit like dancing with her parents when she was young. There wasn't much to be done in that cell and they were desperate to keep her entertained to avoid the Thalmors' scorn. She kept her ground well enough and once they'd been fighting for about minute, Kaidan stopped and gave a nod. 

"You're improving," he stated, the hint of a smile playing at the edge of his lips. "We'll do just a bit more fighting and then we should continue to Bleak Falls Barrow. I don't want to exhaust you so you can't fight."

Ten minutes more and after a drink to quench their thirst, they continued climbing the path. 

The path was dusted in snow and the breeze that swirled up the path was frigid. The ruins stood tall and proud, but Silvea couldn't help but think that they ached more with each year that passed since their creation. How long had the stone stood against time, and how long before it finally fell?

Three bandits were standing guard at the top of the steps and Kaidan and Silvea knew they'd have to avoid a slew of arrows if they weren't careful. Silvea drew her bow and Kaidan watched her with mild interest, curious to see how she was going to strategize.

With a slow breath, the arrow flew, striking the bandit further from the other two in the head. He fell and they remained undetected. She fired her bow once more and took out another bandit but the third one took notice and changed them. With a nervous heave, she drew one more arrow and released it. It struck the bandit's knee and she fell and Kaidan delivered the last blow. He looked mildly impressed.

"Well done, Feye. I wasn't sure that you were going to handle this well, but you seem to have taken my lessons with the bow well enough." Kaidan praised. They checked the bandits for gold, knowing that if they had any, they wouldn't be using it now and hiked up the frost covered steps and inside the great stone doors away from the cold bite of Skyrim's harsh winds.

The stone provided little coverage with the vast windows in the ceiling, but after a moment of shivering, they determined it was warming inside than it was outside... just barely. At the far end of the room, they could see a fire's glow flickering off the walls and determined that they weren't quite alone. The floor was littered with skeevers and bandits alike and they could hear low voices the closer they crept.

Silvea kept her distance in the shadows and took aim, purposefully sending an arrow down the hall to make a loud crack against the stone wall. One bandit went to investigate and Silvea shot her arrow at the other. The bandit let out a grunt before falling and this prompted the other bandit to return, walking into her line of fire before falling with his comrade.

"If all we have to do is thin the ranks of unsuspecting bandits this adventure, we'll be very lucky." Kaidan mused, impressed with her decisions so far. 

The hall was long, but the further they went underground, the warmer they seemed to get, mostly due to the lamps that the bandits had lit. They knew there had to be more bandits further along since the cobwebs had been disturbed and there were more skeever corpses, but they stayed low and silent to avoid being the ones who got attacked first.

At the end of the crumbling hallway, they could see a bandit standing in front of a lever. He pulled it and dozens of tiny darts shot from the wall, killing him instantly. Kaidan and Silvea shared a nervous glance. 

Once in the room, Silvea looked around, determining that the pillars on the ground could move. There had to be a combination that would get them through... Or at least, she hoped that was the case.

A glance at the wall and she found the combination she was looking for in matching symbols that the bandit probably mistook for decorations. 

"Kaidan, help me move the columns to match that pattern," she ordered and he followed her lead. 

She stood before the lever nervously, leaning down and pushing it towards the gate. With the sound of chains shrieking, the gate rose and Kaidan and Silvea cautiously made their way forward. 

She shoved a book in her sack and continued, climbing down a spiraling staircase made of rotting wood carefully. At the bottom, some skeevers snarled and launched at them and Silvea quickly grabbed her mace and started hacking at them alongside Kaidan. 

They stepped over the fallen skeevers and to their surprise they heard a voice echo down the hall.

"Is somebody coming? Is that you Harknir? Bjorn? Soling?" It was probably another bandit. "I know I ran ahead with the claw, but I need help." The voice persisted as they continued to walk towards it. The skeevers had given them away.  

They reached a room where vines and thick cobwebs covered every surface. On the far end, there was a man tangled in some of the sticky silk that blocked a doorway, struggling against it with a terrified expression as he stared upwards. Kaidan and Silvea followed his gaze and spotted a huge spider clinging to the webs on the ceiling. It dropped down. And the bandit began wailing in fear and protest. 

She drew her bow and fired. It let out a cry and hissed as its gaze sifted across the room. One arrow was not enough to kill this beast. Spotting the offending fly that had stung it, it charged and she let loose another arrow before Kaidan stood in front of her and blocked her from harm with his sword. One swing and another arrow later, finally the monster fell.

The bandit continued to beg and cry for assistance and Silvea approached him slowly, eyes wary of any other spiders.

"You did it. You killed it. Now cut me down before anything else shows up." he barked and Silvea's eyes narrowed. 

"You mentioned it earlier. Where's the golden claw?"

"Yes, the claw." he agreed, rambling. "I know how it works. The claw, the markings, the door in the Hall of Stories. I know how they all fit together! Help me down, and I'll show you. You won't believe the power the Nords have hidden there."

"Hand over the claw first." 

"Does it look like I can move?" the bandit growled. "You have to cut me down first!" Silvea shared a glance with Kaidan before sighing heavily and swinging her mace at the webs. "It's coming loose. I can feel it," he said excitedly. But the moment his feet hit the ground, he bolted. "You fool! Why should I share the treasure with anyone?"

Kaidan held her back.

"Wait. There could be more traps or creatures down that way. He's not exactly the most careful of people. He'll get into another situation he can't get out of. I'm sure of it." he soothed. "If we act rashly, we'll get ourselves killed. So let's take our time. We'll catch up to him again."

Silvea gave a nod and they made their way through the halls.

She found it odd how many candles and sconces were lit despite no one being this deep yet. The reek of the decaying dead reached their noses and Silvea held back a gag.

In the next room, they found a terrifying corpse standing over the bandit's body with glowing, blue eyes. And Silvea had a moment to speculate that maybe the dead were keeping the candles lit before it charged at her. 

She let out a scared shriek, pointing her finger at it and watching as lighting flew from her hand to the creature. The smell was worse, but one of the walking corpses in the room was down now. Another one charged her and she repeated while Kaidan swung his sword into its skull with a sickening crack. She picked up the golden claw from the bandit's corpse and continued through the room.

After another room with three dead, SIlvea's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of blades slicing through the air in a steady rhythm. She looked and saw a hallway that every few seconds would howl with the noise. She carefully stepped past the first blade, pausing as the next blade slashed past, a few inches from her. She kept this rhythm until she was on the other side of the hall. Kaidan looked at the blades uneasily.

"I'd rather not. You were just small enough, but I'm not so lucky." He called, swallowing thickly.

"Don't worry. I see a lever that stops them, I think." She examined her surroundings and after not finding any etchings, pulled it. The blades screeched before coming to a halt and Kaidan quickly made his way through the hall.  It became a habit to fire arrows at any corpse that could be a potential threat and when they approached a room with a waterfall, as if sensing their presence, a draugr shoved open its crypt and began wandering the room in search of them. Silvea fired another arrow and it let out a howl of disapproval before Kaidan leaped forward and slew it.

Even without the presence of the sun, the duo felt how late it was. They'd had a long day and no idea how much longer they'd have to explore the cavern. But any danger that had been was now gone so they set up two bedrolls and after eating a meal that was honestly less appetizing after dealing with so many foul stenches, they fell into uneasy slumbers.

The next morning after eating, Silvea explored what appeared to be a dead end room. The water rushed through it and after watching it a moment or two, she spotted a chain that might lift the gate. She pulled it and with a creak that she'd become accustomed to by this point, it raised.

"I guess it's time to go this way." She mused and Kaidan let out a little chuckle.

They followed the watery path until they found a dryer alternative that led to a tall cave, covered with luminescent mushrooms. She looked down the ledge and saw another draugr creeping along a precarious natural-stone bridge. She drew her bow once more and let loose an arrow. It struck the corpse and in return, it let out a terrible shriek before falling to the ground.

They made their way down to the bridge and explored the unusual cavern before going through another dark hall.

Loud, halting footsteps echoed through the stone walls, letting them know another walking dead was active. Once again, having the shadows to her advantage, she took favor with her bow. The first arrow left the creature bewildered, the second one gave away her position, but with one final arrow, the draugr fell.

They passed through some doors, and to their disappointment heard more blades hissing loudly enough to cause a rhythmic echo. With the same process as the day before, they made their way through.

Kaidan and Silvea worked together with their bows to take out more draugrs until finally, they reached a hallway that caused eerie awe to awaken insider her. Each wall was covered in etchings, though Silvea could decipher very little of what was going on. 

"I wonder how deep in the earth we are." Kaidan pondered aloud, eyes skimming the etchings. Silvea pulled out the journal that she'd found on the bandit before and read through it.

_When you have the golden claw, the solution is in the palm of your hands._

She mulled over that sentence a while before pulling out the golden claw and looking over it. She was surprised to find etchings that matched the door on it and with excitement, she started shifting the panels to match

"What did you discover, eh?" Kaidan wondered, watching her curiously. 

She pressed the claw into the indentations in the door and twisted it. With a few grumbles and a long groan, the door lowered into the floor, revealing a hallway on the other side. They followed the hall and came upon a cavern filled with dim sunlight and waterfalls. In the center stood a tall, black wall. Silvea was drawn to it.

With each step forward, dim voices in her head turned louder until her head was filled with harsh shouts in what she thought might be another language. It was a pounding sound that left her feeling disoriented. Her eyes fell upon some letters that seemed to be glowing, whipping towards her as if they were reaching for her very soul.

_Force_

That was her last conscious thought.

Behind her, a stone fell to the ground and cracked, Kaidan drew his sword and saw a Draugr, unlike the ones they had fought before this one had a powerful presence. He felt incredibly concerned, shifting to make his way over to it, but a hand pressed against his chest and looked over to see Silvea standing next to him. Except something in his bones told him that this wasn't Silvea. 

Her apple green eyes had turned completely white and were glowing dimly. And her posture was more aggressive; proud, even. 

"Feye?" he asked nervously. Her head turned to him with narrowed eyes and he backed away, fearing without completely understanding it or knowing that why she could kill him in that instant if she so pleased. 

Her gaze focused once more on the moving corpse in front of her and she drew her mace, a menacing smile flickering across her lips. 

It happened in an instant. She leaped towards the draugr and swung the mace into its shoulder before tugging it out and swinging it into its head. It fell to the ground and Silvea stood there a moment before falling over on top of it.

"Feye!" Kaidan cried out, rushing to her side. He ripped off his gauntlet and checked her pulse. She was alive. She grimaced before opening her eyes to reveal them to be their normal green as if Kaidan had imagined the situation before except he was sure that wasn't the case. 

"Kaidan? What happened?" she asked, looking around slowly.

"I don't rightly know..." Kaidan replied grimly. "Can you move?" Silvea nodded. He helped her to her feet and they collected the Dragonstone before making their way up the stairs to the back of the room. Kaidan fiddled with a lever and the wall fell open, causing a breeze to rush through the cavern walls. Finally, they found an exit and breathed clear air with a sigh of relief.

"What happened before? When you looked at that word wall, it was like you fell into a... a trance..." Kaidan said seriously, looking more full of concern than Silvea had ever seen him.

"You didn't see the light from the runes? Or hear anything?" she asked, trying to remember the instant before it all went blank.

"Uh no? All I knew about those word walls is that they're usually some sort of a memorial. Never heard about them being magic." Kaidan answered, frowning. "But it's clearly had an effect on you... Are you feeling alright?"

"I think I'll be fine, I just don't know how to explain what I saw..." Silvea admitted honestly. 

"Hey, there's no pressure to. I'd rather you take it easy than let some old magic scramble your brains." Kaidan felt her forehead before putting his gauntlet back on. And Silvea pulled the Dragonstone out to look at it. "And that must be the Dragonstone, eh? Let's just get it back to that court wizard and be done with it."

Kaidan seemed overprotective of her after that. He helped her down the side of the mountain with great care, occasionally verifying again that she was alright. Kaidan paused once they reached the edge of the lake.

"This is where I'd been camping," he said in realization, looking around to find a tattered tent. Silvea stepped near it and found a book. 

"Did this book belong to you? Ghost Stories of Tamriel Volume Two?" She asked, with raised eyebrows.

"That? Just something to keep me entertained." Kaidan answered. "Didn't really like it all that much. You can keep it if you'd like."

She contemplated the book for a while before placing it carefully in her sack.

"I think I will." Though she never intended to read much of it, she'd decided, in its own part, it may have been the reason their paths crossed in the first place. Perhaps he had been reading it when he was ambushed and it had been dropped and left to be forgotten. Thus it had burrowed itself into her heart with sentimentality.

They made their way to Riverwood once more, deciding that since it would be on the way back to Whiterun that they should return Lucan's claw and rest up at the inn. The town seemed more active than before but that may have been in slight part thanks to the soldiers that now paced through it. 

They stepped inside the Riverwood Trader and approached Lucan with kind smiles that masked the danger and mystery that seeking that claw out had wrought for them.

"Oh, Lucan. I have the golden claw." Silvea greeted. Lucan's face brightened into a smile.

"You found it?" he burst into laughter, taking it from her when she offered it. "There it is. Strange... It seems smaller than I remember. Funny thing, huh? I'll never forget this. You've done a great thing for me and my sister!" he announced, handing her a pouch filled with gold. Silvea gave him a smile and offer of thanks before leaving the store and going over to the inn with Kaidan at her heel.

She paid for rooms, feeling too tired to play her lute tonight, and collapsed in her bed to drift off immediately into a death-like sleep.


	6. The Coming of Dragonborn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone, I'm back! I apologize profusely for being so terribly late. I've been reorganizing my life in some pretty major ways. I realize I'm more behind than ever before but I am hoping to catch up a lot faster after this week when I finish up two other works and relish in the freedom that finishing those stories will provide! With any luck, I'll see you on Saturday with the next chapter. ^^

Silvea woke the next morning to find the sun high on the walls of her room. She wandered out into the main hall and determined that it had to be early morning since the inn was so quiet. After rubbing the sleep from her eyes she sat down at one of the many tables, and ate some bread and strew, hoping to stave off her hunger and wake herself up. 

Silvea heard a loud, unmistakably Kaidan yawn from her left and noticed that Kaidan had sat down next to her with his own slice of bread and a plate of meat. 

"Good morning, Feye." he greeted, biting into his bread before starting to cut a sizable chunk off of his meat. 

"Good morning, Kaidan." she returned, smiling. It felt so normal as if the adventures of yesterday hadn't happened at all, and in truth, the day before had felt more like a dream than anything. She blamed the magic that as Kaidan had so eloquently put it 'scrambled' her brain.

"What's your plan after we deliver the Dragonstone?" he wondered out loud and she hummed while she thought.

"I don't know. I suppose there are plenty of paths to choose from, aren't there?" she mused, taking a sip of her water. "I realize that it's in the wrong direction from Solitude, but perhaps that jester is still stranded on the road? I think he'd be an interesting person to meet."

Kaidan let out a chuckle and nodded. "I very much hope that poor sod isn't still stranded after four days, but if he is, we could certainly try to help him." he agreed, downing some ale with a content sigh. "You mentioned Solitude. Are you considering what that Imperial soldier from Helgen suggested? Going to join the Imperial army?"

"Well... Maybe? I'm not sure... I'd have to see." she admitted, frowning. "I don't have any right to get involved in the politics of a land I don't belong in..." 

"Don't belong in? You've lived in Skyrim your whole live, Feye. It's just as much your home as it is to any Nord." Kaidan stated firmly with a gentle smile. "Besides the Jarl of Whiterun seems to hold you in high regard. And if he doesn't know, he will by this afternoon when we gift him with the Dragonstone." 

"Thanks, Kaidan," she replied sincerely. "What about you, do you consider Skyrim your home?" 

"Hmm... I'm not sure. I suppose I did spend a great deal of my life here too. And while it's always cold and colorless at times, yeah. I think I do." he grinned. 

They gathered their bags and started on their trip back to Whiterun, the path incredibly familiar to them after so many times back and forth over the road. Outside the city, a band of Khajiit were camped and Silvea made her way towards them, selling many of the things she had found inside Bleak Falls Burrow to the fascinated vendors. 

With their bags slightly lighter, they continued up through the gates of Whiterun. The warm colors of the birch, pines, flowers, and fires made it feel welcoming in comparison to the cold, icy rocks that they had spent the last two days around. The sky was blue and Silvea couldn't help but think that it was a perfect day as she made her way up to the second district.

"Battle-Born! Give me your money!" a small girl shouted, drawing in Silvea's attention.

"I... I don't have any money." a boy, presumably the Battle-Born, replied anxiously. 

"You better give me five septims right now, or I'm going to bloody your nose," she warned.

"No! Please! I really don't have any money, Braith." the boy said desperately, taking a few steps back as she cornered him. "I'll give you ten septims tomorrow, just don't hit me."

She paused in her actioned, preening at the words.

"Ten septims tomorrow, Baby Battle-Born," Braith said firmly. "Or I'm gonna bloody your nose and your lip." With that, she walked away and Silvea approached the boy with a concerned face.

"Are you alright?" she questioned.

"It's no fun getting pushed around all the time."

"Having trouble?" she supplied and he nodded.

"Yes... Braith bullies me all the time." He sighed. "All the elders think I'm a milk drinker 'cause I can't fight. Nobody understands... If you can get Braith to leave me alone, I'll be your best friend... forever! I'll pay you too! My whole life savings - two septims!" 

"I'll go talk to this girl." Silvea agreed with a soft smile and he grinned, shoving two septims into her hand.

"Oh, good. She'll listen to you, I just know it." and with that, he ran off. Silvea shrugged putting the coins in her pouch and making her way over to the little girl that had been bullying him.

"What are you looking at? I'm not afraid of you, ya know. Even if you are my elder." Braith said defiantly. Silvea crouched down so she was the same height as Braith. 

"You need to stop bully Lars Battle-Born," she stated firmly.

"Yeah? Why?" Braith asked coolly. Silvea considered the girl for a moment, standing tall.

"I'm his bodyguard. Mess with him, you mess with me." 

"Okay, okay! I'll leave him alone." Braith agreed with a sigh. "I was just kidding around. Besides, if he'd only kiss me, I wouldn't have to beat him up all the time." 

"Good," Silvea said with a pleased smirk.

"We done?" Braith questioned and Silvea nodded, continuing on her way to Dragon's Reach. 

"Stole a kid's pocket change for that, eh?" Kaidan teased and she rolled her eyes.

"I was going to agree even without the offer of two septims, but the boy didn't give me a chance to tell him he could keep the money," Silvea explained and he chuckled.

"I suppose he really forced your hand, didn't he?" he mused and Silvea giggled. 

"Completely. How could I say 'no' to such a sweet face?" With that Kaidan let out a laugh, following her up the stairs to the Jarl's grand hall.

"You see? The terminology is clearly First Era, or maybe even earlier!" Farengar was saying to a hooded figure as they walked into the room, ignoring the duo who had intruded upon his conversation. Or perhaps, he hadn't noticed them at all. "I'm convinced this is a copy of a much older text. Perhaps dating to just after the Dragon War. If so, I could use this to cross-reference the names with other later texts."

"Good. I'm glad you're making progress." The figure replied, turning to look at Farengar. "My employers are anxious to have some tangible answers." 

"Oh, have no fear." Farengar dismissed with a bat of his hand. "The Jarl himself has finally taken an interest, so I'm now able to devote most of my time to this research." 

"Time is running, Farengar, don't forget." the woman replied sternly. "This isn't some theoretical question. Dragons have come back."

"Yes, yes. Don't worry." Farengar appeased. "Although, the chance to see a living dragon up close would be tremendously valuable... Now let me show you something... very intriguing... I think your employers may be interested as well."

"You have visitors." the woman observed, staring at Silvea and Kaidan with narrowed eyes.

"Hmm? Ah, yes, the Jarl's protege!" Farengar greeted with a smile. "Back from Bleak Falls Barrow? Huh, you didn't die, it seems."

Silvea nodded and removed the tablet from her pack, handing it to him. 

"Ah, the Dragonstone of Bleak Falls Barrow!" He said in reverence as he held the stone. "Seems you're a cut above the usual brutes the Jarl sends my way." Silvea bit her tongue, holding back a snide comment about not being brutes.

"I got you the Dragonstone. What next?" Silvea questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"That is where your job ends and mine begins," Farengar admitted. "The work of the mind: sadly undervalued in Skyrim. My... associate here will be pleased to see your handiwork. She discovered its location by means she has so far declined to share with me."  He turned to look at the woman. "So your information was correct after all. And we have our friend here to thank for recovering it for us."

"You went into Bleak Falls Barrow and got that?" she questioned, considering Silvea a moment. "Nice work." she turned to look at Farengar. "Just send me a copy when you've deciphered it."

"Farengar!" Irileth rushed into the room urgently. "Farengar, you need to come at once! A dragon has been sighted nearby!" the housecarl turned to look at Silvea and Kaidan. "You should come too." 

"A dragon? How exciting!" Farengar perked up, rubbing his hands together to contain his excitement. "Where was it seen? What was it doing?"

"I'd take this a bit more seriously if I were you," Irileth growled, leading the way up to the war hall. "If a dragon decides to attack Whiterun I don't know if we can stop it..."

"So, Irelith tells me you came from the Western Watchtower?" the Jarl addressed a guard as Silvea and the other's reached the peak of the stairs.

"Yes, my lord!" the guard replied dutifully. 

"Tell him what you told me. About the dragon." Irileth ordered. 

"Uh... that's right." The guard straightened, suddenly becoming more professional in Irileth's presence. "We saw it coming from the south. It was fast. Faster than anything I've ever seen."

"What did it do?" Balgruuf asked seriously, concern lining his voice. "Is it attacking the watchtower?"

"No, my lord. It was just circling overhead when I left." the guard answered, shaking his head. "I never ran so fast in my life... I thought for sure it would come after me." 

"Good work, son." Balgruuf clapped the man on the shoulder respectfully. "We'll take it from here. Head down to the barracks for some food and rest. You've earned it." He turned to look at his housecarl. "Irelith, you'd better gather some guardsmen and get down there."

"I've already ordered my men to muster near the gates," Irileth assured seriously.

"Good. Don't fail me." Balgruuf turned to Silvea. "There's no time to stand on ceremony, my friend. I need your help again. I want you to go with Irileth and help her fight this dragon. You survived Helgen, so you have more experience with dragons than anyone else here. And I haven't forgotten the service you did for me in retrieving the dragonstone for Farengar. As a token of my esteem, I've instructed Avenicci that you are now permitted to purchase property in the city. And please accept this gift from my personal armory." He handed her some iron boots that glowed with magical enchantment.

"I should come along. I would very much like to see this dragon." Farengar suggested and the Jarl shook his head.

"No. I can't afford to risk both of you." Balgruuf dismissed. "I need you here working on ways to defend the city against these dragons." 

"As you command." Farengar agreed, disappointed.

"One last thing, Irileth." the Jarl caught his housecarl's attention as she began to descend the stairs. "This isn't a death or glory mission. I need to know what we're dealing with."

"Don't worry, my lord." Irileth gave him a reassuring nod. "I'm the very soul of caution."

Irileth, Silvea, and Kaidan made their way through the city and down to the gates, halting when they came across a slew of soldiers.

"Here's the situation," Irileth began addressing the soldiers. "A dragon is attacking the Western Watchtower."

"A dragon?" One guard questioned.

"Now we're in for it." another commented.

"You heard right," Irileth confirmed. "I said 'a dragon.' I don't much care where it came from or who sent it. What I do know is that it's made the mistake of attacking Whiterun.

"But, housecarl, how can we fight a dragon?" a guard asked nervously.

"That's a fair question." the housecarl admitted with a nod. "None of us have ever seen a dragon or expected to face one in battle. But we are honor-bound to fight it, even if we fail. This dragon is threatening our homes, our families. Could you call yourselves Nords if you ran from this monster? Are you going to let me face this thing alone? But it's more than just our honor at stake. Think of it! The first dragon seen in Skyrim in ages. The glory of killing it is ours! Are you with me? Now, what do you say? Shall we go kill us a dragon?" The guards let out their sounds of agreement, moved by Irileth's words. "Let's move out!"

The unified force rushed through the gate and down the road to the Western Watchtower. Fires dotted the surrounding fields and rocks and stone crumbled around the once proud tower that now stood in ruin. There was no dragon in sight but there was no denying the similarities between this place and Helgen. 

"No signs of the dragon... but it sure looks like its been here..." Irileth mused, eyebrows furrowing. She turned to address her men once more. "I know it looks bad, but we've got to figure out what happened. And if that dragon is still skulking around somewhere. Spread out and look for survivors. We need to know what we're dealing with." 

They came closer to the tower, approached by a guard who was taking refuge inside the wrecked building.

"No! Get back!" the guard called, waving his arm frantically. "It's still here somewhere! Hrokki and Tor just got grabbed when they tried to make a run for it!"

"Guardsman, what happened here?" Irileth asked firmly. "Where's this dragon? Quickly now!"

"I don't know." the guard admitted, swallowing thickly. A roar echoed over the mountains and the guard looked up at the sky in alarm. "Kynereth save us! Here it comes again!"

"Here it comes!" Irileth shouted, warning the other guards. "Find cover and make every arrow count!"

With another loud roar, the dragon came into view. Against Silvea's better judgment, she rushed away from the building and to a large open space, mace drawn and mind focused once more on the energy within her. The dragon hovered over the ground, scorching all remaining grass with its breath and Silvea pointed her finger at the dragon defiantly. The dragon let out a displeased noise, grabbing at a fleeing guard with its talons.

"You are brave, balaan hokoron!" the dragon's voice echoed in her mind, yet everyone else seemed to ignore that the dragon had spoken at all. Or perhaps she was the only one who heard it. "Brit grah! I had forgotten what fine sport you mortals can provide! Thurri du hin sille ko Sovngarde!" 

She had enough of this dragon's cruel words. The moment it landed on the earth, she charged at it, mace swinging through the air and into its neck, once, twice, three times and it let out an awful shriek.

"Dovahkiin!  No!" the dragon cried, head falling to the ground and eyes closing shut.

"Damn good shooting, boys." Irileth praised, approaching the dragon's corpse. The dragon's skin started to become ash in the wind, peeling off and leaving only a few scales left on the mountain of bones.

"What's happening?" a guard asked and Irileth arms flew out as she corralled her men.

"Everybody get back!" she ordered and she and the guards withdrew. 

Silvea tried to move away from the beast, but as if her legs wouldn't listen to her, she stood only a few feet away. Kaidan was standing on the ruined bridge up to the watchtower, a form of awe and concern on his face. She noticed that he had not drawn his weapon at all.

Colorful beams of light shot from the dragon, whipping around her and lashing harshly at her skin before piercing her heart. She felt stronger somehow and just as quickly as it had appeared, the lights vanished, leaving behind only a very sad looking dragon skeleton. 

Kaidan ran towards her, hands resting on her arms as he stared into her eyes, face filled with concern.

"Feye, are you alright? Tell me you're alright!" he ordered, voice laced with panic.

"I'm fine... I think. It was strange but I don't feel terribly different." Silvea assured and Kaidan seemed to relax for the moment, eyes searching her features for anything out of the ordinary.

"I can't believe it!" A guard called, running up to them. "You're Dragonborn!"

"Dragonborn?" Silvea questioned, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"In the very oldest tales, back from when there were dragons in Skyrim, the Dragonborn would slay dragons and steal their power." The guard explained, giddy at the thought of being in the presence of such a legend. "That's what you did, isn't it? Absorb the dragon's power!"

"I don't know what happened to me," Silvea admitted with a frown. 

"There's only one way to find out." The guard reasoned. "Try to shout! That would prove it. According to the old legends, only the Dragonborn can shout without training, the way the dragons do."

"Dragonborn? What are you talking about?" another guard questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I've heard stories about the Dragonborn. Those born with dragon blood, like old Tiber Septim himself." another soldier said reverently. 

"I've never heard of Tiber Septim killing any dragons." another guard mused.

"There weren't any dragons then, idiot." the first guard scolded. "They're just coming back now for the first time in... forever." 

"But the old tales tell of a Dragonborn who could kill dragons and steal their power. You must be one!" a fourth guard lamented. 

"What do you say, Irileth? You're being awfully quiet." the third guard questioned, looking at the housecarl.

"Come on, Irileth, tell us!" another guard encouraged. "Do you believe in this Dragonborn business?"

"Hmph. Some of you would be better off keeping quiet than flapping your gums on matters you don't know anything about." Irileth said coldly, staring at the skeleton thoughtfully. "Here's a dead dragon and that's something I definitely understand. Now we know we can kill them. But I don't need some mythical Dragonborn. Someone who can put down a dragon is more than enough for me." 

"You wouldn't understand, housecarl." the first guard said sadly. "You ain't a Nord." 

"I've been all across Tamriel." Irileth defended with arms crossed. "I've seen plenty of things just as outlandish as this. I'd advise you all to trust in the strength of your sword arm over tales and legends." The first guard turned back to Silvea, hope flickering in his eyes. 

"If you really are Dragonborn, like out of the old tales, you ought to be able to shout. Can you? Have you tried?" he asked, and everyone's attention fell on Silvea.

She closed her eyes, trying to focus. She wasn't sure she could believe the tales she was being bombarded with, but she couldn't deny the man the hope that he held for her. Her mind flittered through all of the many strange and wonderful things she had experienced in the last week but one word continued to come to the front of her thoughts, stronger and stronger each time.

_Force_

With a deep breath, she opened her mouth and let out the word, but it came out much louder than she had expected, knocking some of the guards to their knees. She looked around and her eyes fell on Kaidan, hoping for answers, of which he had none.

"Shouting! That's what you just did!" a guard said triumphantly. "Must be. You really are Dragonborn, then."

Everyone was quiet a moment. Irileth was contemplating the curious and inexplicable stranger who had gained the respect of her Jarl. The guards basked in the presence of a person who was so deeply rooted into their culture. Kaidan's mind was mostly filled with concern for his bewildered companion. And Silvea was trying her best to come to terms with the strange things that had been happening around her for the past two days. She may have been new to the world, but she knew that this wasn't normal.


	7. Silvea, Thane, and Dragonborn, Denier of One's Own Destiny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey, all. I'm sorry for being so drastically behind with uploading this chapter and I hope you will forgive me. I had several snags of writer's block on a couple other stories and then I had several issues with my game. But I have returned and starting June for certain, I can be more consistent about when I upload, until then, I will try to post as often as life allows me to.

Silvea had gone numb to the world around her as she made her way back to Whiterun with Kaiden. The guards couldn’t stop staring at her with gleaming eyes filled to the brim with hope and respect while they surveyed the damage as the duo returned to Whiterun. Somehow, she had gained the camaraderie and respect of these Nords and while that should’ve been happy news, she felt a sinking feeling in her gut. 

Kaidan was quietly thinking during the trek to the gates, in step with her, yet his calculating expression which only served to poorly mask his concern unnerved her as well. 

There had to have been some sort of massive mistake. Maybe she had just recited a spell instead, and these guards were so unaccustomed to magic that they mistook her for a legend out of stories they probably fell asleep to about a great Nord warrior would devoured dragon souls and other great deeds that Silvea was sure she couldn’t accomplish. For one thing, Silvea, up until a week ago had never seen the outside of that abandoned prison. For another, she was no Nord and she was quite certain that the Nords beloved hero of legend being an Imperial would outrage a great deal of Skyrim’s populous. Racism was one of the many things that had torn this cold, hard nation in two according to the many conversations she’d overheard in inns and Skyrim needed no further reason to so passionately hate the Imperials that lived here. 

It was a quiet, tense journey that seemed to last for an eternity despite it being the same distance as before. This battle had left the stiflingly cold Skyrim air suffocating and it seemed that instead of finding a place to belong in this nation, she had only made herself more of an outcast. How could she truly belong when she was so incredibly different. Even Kaidan appeared to be staring at her as if it was his first time truly seeing her, which irked her because she had been nothing but honest with Kaidan from the moment they met.

Finally the gates of Whiterun lay before them and Silvea felt some relief however small that the guards here didn’t know about the battle at the Watchtower. They opened the large wooden doors for them as they did every traveler but entering Whiterun would never be the same again; a great thundering voice made sure of that. 

“DOVAHKIIN!!” It was as if the sky itself was calling her out and the ground below them rumbled for a brief moment, loose pebbles skirted down the city’s walls, and dust and birds scattered from their resting places before silence filled the whole of the city. Eyes laid on Silvea from all sides and all she could do was swallow thickly, taking a few tentative steps forward and adjusting her bag on her shoulders. Slowly, everyone want back to their business.

“Look, you already have been told you’re not allowed here.” A guard was saying to some bizarrely dressed men. “Turn around and go  back the way you came.” He added gruffly, crossing his arms for extra effect. 

“We’re causing no trouble.” stated on of the men, narrowing his eyes. “All we ask is to look for her.” 

This vague comment caused Silvea and Kaidan’s shoulders to tense. Logically, it made no sense that these foreigners would be searching for the Dragonborn which she just made her debut no more than thirty minutes ago, but they still felt suspicion cut through them like a vicious knife.

“I don’t care what you’re doing, after what happened you’re lucky I don’t toss you in jail.” The guard replied in a low growl. “Now get lost.”

“We’ll be back.” Hissed the redguard who seemed to be in charge. “This is not over.” With the last word, he turned on heel and made his way over to Silvea and Kaidan. Any hope that these strangers would pass them by and make their way out of the city was immediately lossed when he stopped in front of them, eyed them both and cracked a friendly, albeit painted smile.

“You there, we’re looking for someone in Whiterun and we’ll pay good money for information.” he stated, and Silvea couldn’t feel like she could relax despite them not recognizing her.

“Who are you looking for?” she asked, forcing herself to have a neutral sounding voice.

“A woman. A foreigner in these lands.” The man answered, which did no favors on her nervousness. They were looking for her, but why? “Redguard, like us.” And suddenly all tension dissipated, leaving only a sense of embarrassment at her foolishness in its place. “She is likely not using her true name. We will pay for any and all information regarding her location. We are not welcome here in Whiterun, so we will be in Rorikstead if you find anything.” 

“Why are you looking for this person?” Silvea wondered curiously. 

“It’s none of your concern.” He answered quickly, harshly. “All you need to know is that we’re paying for information. If that doesn’t interest you, feel free to walk away.” 

“Who are you looking for again?” A redguard woman was not a great description. There were plenty of foreigners in Skyrim and there were plenty of dark-skinned women, to be sure. 

“We’re looking for a fugitive who comes from Hammerfell. A redguard woman. She may be in this city.” The man answered and it was obvious that they weren’t going to get any more than that from them. With that, Silvea gave an awkward smile and moved passed the man. 

“We’ll find her, eventually…” The man stated and Silvea wasn’t entirely sure whether or not to wish them luck. 

They made their way through the streets of Whiterun, up to the cloud district and across the bridge into Dragonsreach. Although Silvea was not looking forward to talking with anyone ever again with the strange and isolating day she had, she knew that since Irileth and the guards were taking notes of the damage the dragon had caused, it was up to her to keep the Jarl informed. As they made their way past the long wooden tables that surrounded the roaring fire, the Jarl’s steward spotted them and greeted them. 

“Good. You’re finally here,” he said. “The Jarl’s been waiting for you.” Balgruuf was not yet aware of their presence, it seemed since he was talking to a man in his court dressed in leather, furs, and horns. 

“You heard the summons… What else could it mean?” He questioned, though without receiving an answer he continued, his voice dripping with awe. “The Greybeards…” Hrongar noticed them and smiled. 

“We were just talking about you.” He stated and that provided her with no comfort. “My brother needs a word with you.” 

“So what happened at the Watchtower?” Balgruuf asked anxiously, sitting on the edge of his throne. “Was the dragon there?” 

“The Watchtower was destroyed, but we killed the dragon,” Silvea answered stiffly. 

“I knew I could count on Irileth.” Balgruuf seemed to take this as a victory, and in a way it was. This was proof that dragons were not immortal, and Whiterun was still fairing better than Helgen. “But there must be more to it than that?”

Silvea could not ignore the way Balgruuf’s presence seemed to demand she tell the truth. 

“Turns out, I may be something called ‘Dragonborn.’” She didn’t say this as if it was something to brag about, because to her, it wasn’t. It was simply a fact that seemed intent on denying her the simplicity of a normal life. 

“Dragonborn?” Balgruuf repeated and then his voice became less friendly. “What do you know about the Dragonborn?”

“That’s just what the men called me,” Silvea answered, feeling a little like she was shrinking with every word.

“Not just the men.” Balgruuf corrected. “The Greybeards seem to think the same thing.” 

“The Greybeards?” She wondered, not feeling any better about the situation.

“Masters of the Way of the Voice,” Balgruuf explained. “They live in seclusion, high on the slopes of the Throat of the World.” 

“What do these Greybeards want with me?” Silvea was new to being a Dragonborn, although, based on what the guards had said, it didn’t seem like Balgruuf would know any more than she did.

“The Dragonborn is said to be uniquely gifted in the Way of the Voice,” Balgruuf answered and Silvea’s mind returned immediately to the so-called Shout that had started this chaos. “The ability to focus your vital essence into a thu'um or shout. If you really are Dragonborn, they can teach you how to use your gift.” 

“Didn’t you hear that thundering sound as you returned to Whiterun?” Hrongar questioned with a raised eyebrow. “That was the voice of the Greybeards, summoning you to High Hrothgar. This hasn’t happened in… centuries, at least. Not since Tiber Septim himself was summoned when he was still Talos of Atmora!” 

The familiarity that came with those names unnerved her slightly. She had no idea why the name Tiber Septim or Talos of Atmora felt like second nature to her. She didn’t have time to ponder it for more than a brief second.

“Hrongar! Calm yourself!” Avenicci interrupted. “What does any of this Nord nonsense have to do with our friend here?” It seemed that Proventus was having just as hard a time wrapping his head around all this and she was. “Capable as she may be, I don’t see any signs of her being this - what - ‘Dragonborn’.” 

“Nord nonsense?” Hrongar repeated in surprise, eyes narrowing. “Why you puffed-up ignorant… These are our sacred traditions that go back to the founding of the First Empire!”

“Hrongar…” Balgruuf seemed amused but firm. “Don’t be so hard on Avenicci.” 

“I meant no disrespect, of course,” Proventus explained, biting his lip. “It’s just that… what do these ‘Greybeards’ want with her?”

Proventus seemed to be speaking all sorts of sense in Silvea’s eyes.

“That’s the Greybeards’ business. Not ours.” Balgruuf answered, shaking his head. “Whatever happened when you killed that dragon, it revealed something in you, and the Greybeards heard it. If they think you’re Dragonborn, who are we to argue? You’d better get up to High Hrothgar immediately. There’s no refusing the summons of the Greybeards. It’s a tremendous honor.” Silvea wasn’t feeling particularly honored if she was being honest with herself. “I envy you, you know. To climb the Seven Thousand Steps again… I made the Pilgrimage once, did you know that? High Hrothgar is a very peaceful place. Very… disconnected from the troubles of this world. I wondered that the Greybeards even noticed what’s going on down here. They haven’t seemed to care before. No matter. Go to High Hrothgar. Learn what the Greybeards can teach you.”

Balgruuf paused a moment and Silvea thought maybe he was going to urge her to leave when he opened his mouth again, but instead, he had changed the topic. 

“You’ve done a great service for me and my city, Dragonborn.” He stated appreciatively. “By my right as Jarl, I name you Thane of Whiterun. It’s the greatest honor that’s within my power to grant. I assign you Lydia as a personal Housecarl, and this weapon from my armory to serve as your badge of office.” Balgruuf gestured and Hrongar reached behind the throne in the basket from before and pulled out a sheathed ax that seemed to glow bright green. “I’ll also notify my guards of your new title. Wouldn’t want them to think that you’re part of the common rabble now, would we?” He chuckled a little. “We are honored to have you as Thane of our city, Dragonborn.” Silvea nodded, bowing but entirely unsure of what to say. She hadn’t been expecting this honor. Nor did she feel like she had truly earned it. He turned to look at his steward. “Back to business, Proventus. We still have a city to defend.” 

“Yes, my lord.” Proventus agreed.

Silvea slowly made her way back to the front doors of Dragonsreach, ready to find a bed at the inn for the evening, and maybe never leave it. Waiting by the doors, though, was a woman clad in iron armor, with short curls framing her face.

“The Jarl has appointed me to be your Housecarl.” She explained with a sweet smile. “It’s an honor to serve you.” 

“I’m a Thane?” Silvea asked, finding her day had been more of a whirlwind than she expected. “What does that mean?”

“The Jarl has recognized you as a person of great importance in the hold, a hero,” Lydia answered. “The title of Thane is an honor a gift for your service. Guards will know to look the other way if you tell them who you are.”

“And what does a housecarl do?” Silvea couldn’t help but wonder. It felt like it would be best if she knew everything about this new life she’d been thrust into.

“As my Thane, I’m sworn to your service,” Lydia replied. “I’ll guard you and all you own with my life.” 

“I see. Thank you. I’m going to retire to the inn for the evening. Please stay here in the city, Lydia.” Silvea murmured. Having Kaidan along with her was one thing, but to have Lydia following her around too, that was too much. Besides, it didn’t feel right to take Lydia from her life here in Whiterun. Kaidan had followed her willingly, and there was no doubt that Lydia would do the same, but the circumstances between both allies were very different. 

“Farewell.” Lydia smiled her sweet, assuring smile once more before continuing to go up the steps to eat with the Jarl and his court.

Soon she found herself in the Bannered Mare, and though she had no inclination to perform, she knew that getting paid and getting a free room was much better than paying for two rooms. After letting Hulda know that she was playing, pulled out her lute and stood in her usual spot. The patrons seemed delighted that she was playing once more and soon she had gold, a room, and a tankard filled with water which she downed while Kaidan sat across from her, not touching his food as much as he was staring at her. 

“Thane of Whiterun,” Kaidan said finally, seeming almost proudly. “You’re moving up in the world.” Silvea didn’t respond, only picking at the bread on her plate absently. “The Greybeards are masters of the Thu’um. I don’t doubt that they’ll have the answers to the questions you must have.” 

Silvea bit her lip.

“I just… I…” Her voice faded out and Kaidan gave her a sympathetic look. 

“You’ve had a long day. I’m not going to force you to eat, and I’m not going to make you go to your room either if that’s not what you want, but I would suggest you turn in for the night and get some rest, Feye.” 

“I… thanks, Kaidan. I’ll do that.” She agreed, standing to climb the stairs and collapse in bed.

* * *

 

The next morning, the sun streaked through the many cracks in the roof, bidding her to wake up. While she was not delighted about this, she couldn’t only let out a very heavy sigh and make her way downstairs to the quiet, nearly abandoned room below where Hulda was stirring the embers and adding more wood to the fire with a sweet smile. She was getting a lot of smiles now, and the worst part about Whiterun was that she didn’t know whether or not to attribute that to the fact that she was Thane or the fact that she was apparently Dragonborn.

As soon as both she and Kaidan had eaten they made their way into the town, thinking it best to sell as much of their goods that weren’t necessary as possible. 

“So, where are we going?” It was the first thing that Kaidan had said other than his usual, gruff ‘Morning’ upon seeing her when he first got up. Now they were across a bridge and his tone suggested that whichever way she was going was not the way to the Greybeards, which Silvea was pleased with.    
“Well, there’s that jester who was missing a wheel.” She replied with a smirk. Kaidan blinked in disbelief. 

“Feye, it’s been almost a week since you heard about that.” He scolded. 

“Yes, but I don’t want to go to the Greybeards just yet.” 

“Fine.” was all she got in reply.

Several minutes later a cart came into view with a man dressed rather uniquely sitting on a rock by the side of the road, staring at the broken vehicle with a downtrodden expression. Silvea could almost hear the sound of Kaidan’s jaw hitting the ground as he took in the sight with disbelief.

“That poor bastard,” he muttered and Silvea couldn’t help but chuckle a little. 

“Hello?” Silvea murmured, getting his attention.

“Agh! Bother and befuddle!” the man exclaimed and Silvea jumped back instinctively. “Stuck here, stuck! My mother, my poor mother. Unmoving, at rest, but too still…”

“Is there a problem?” Silvea wondered. Surely the man should’ve received help at this point.

“Poor Cicero is stuck. Can’t you see?” the man who may have been referring to himself in the third person, SIlvea wasn’t sure, explained deliriously. “I was transporting my dear, sweet mother. Well, not her… her corpse.” He giggled and it unnerved her slightly. “She’s quite dead. I’m taking mother to a new home. A new crypt. But… argh!” he shrieked again. “Wagon wheel! Damndest wagon wheel! It broke, don’t you see?!”

“Is there some way I can help?” Silvea asked, raising an eyebrow. Surely, it would do any travelers coming down this road a world of good to get this potentially unhinged man on his way?

“Oh! Oh, yes! Yes, the kindly stranger can certainly help!” The jester agreed, starting to dance around the road excitedly. “Go to the farm, the Loreius farm. Just over there, off the road. Talk to Loreius. He has tools! He can help me. But he won’t. He refuses! Convince Loreius to fix my wheel. Do that, and poor Cicero will reward you with coin! Gleamy, shiny coin!” 

With that, Cicero sat on the ground, facing the broken wheel as if willing it to fix itself. Silvea shared a glance with Kaidan who merely shrugged and they made a short trek up a hill to the farm that the jester had specified. 

A man was sweeping his porch agitatedly while an elven woman watched him, appearing wise enough to not speak to this angry farmer. 

“Um… Excuse me?”

“Oh, for the love of Mara, what now?” he growled. 

“The, um, little man really needs your help… with his wagon?” Silvea cursed how nervous she sounded. The man was definitely cruel to leave the jester broken down for days on end.

“That Cicero fella? Ha, tell me something I don’t know!” The farmer rolled his eyes. “Crazy fool’s already asked me about five times. Seems he’s not satisfied with my answer. Why can’t he just leave us alone?”

“So what’s the problem?” Silvea’s brows knit together as she attempted to understand this imperial in front of her. “I’m sure he’ll pay you…”

“Pay me? You think this is about money?” Loreius howled. “Have you seen the man? He’s completely out of his head. A jester here in Skyrim? Ain’t been a merryman in these parts for a hundred years. And he’s transporting some giant box. Says it’s a coffin and he’s going to bury his mother. Mother, my eye. He could have anything in there. War contraband, weapons, skooma! Ain’t no way I’m getting involved in any of that.”

“He’s a stranger who needs assistance,” Silvea muttered flatly, crossing her arms over her chest. “Please, do that right thing.” 

“What?” He growled. “And just who in Mara’s name are you anyway? Come here, telling me my business, and for what? To help a... a… a fool?”

“You know you should help him,” she replied back with a soft sigh. 

“Look, I… I…” Loreius sighed heavily, rubbing his face. “Yes, you’re right… You’re right. Feller might be nutters, might not. But the fact is, he needs help. if I turn him away, what kind of a man am I? Look, um, thanks… And I’m sorry for my unneighborly reaction. If you talk to Cicero, you be sure and tell him I’ll be down to help soon.” 

“Thanks. I know he’ll appreciate your help.” Silvea smiled sweetly. She took this as a victory, whether she had made one life safer or a hundred by getting Cicero moving. They started back down the path and honestly, Silvea was feeling a little better about her predicament as Dragonborn… not enough to go see what the Greybeards wanted, but she was at least open to the idea of visiting them at some point.

“Poor mother… Her new home seems so very far…” Cicero was mumbling, taking off his hat to run his fingers through his hair before replacing it on his head.

“I talked to Loreius,” Silvea said with a reassuring smile. “He’s agreed to fix your wagon wheel.” 

“You… you did? He has?!” Cicero jumped to his feet once again with a big grin. “Oh, stranger! You have made Cicero so happy! So jubilant and ecstatic! But more! Even more, my mother thanks you! Here, here! For your troubles! Shiny, clinky gold! A few coins for your deed, and thank you, thank you again!” 

The jester shoved a heavy pouch of gold into her hands and SIlvea stared at it in disbelief. She had not been expecting that much money. She put it in her pack and continued on the path.    
“So, Feye, why did you help that man?” Kaidan wondered curiously.

“Are you joking?” Silvea chuckled. “Would you want to be stranded in the cold for a little under a week because your wheel broke?” 

“I… No, I don’t think I would.” Kaidan agreed with a chuckle. “That Cicero fellow sure has a ton of patience or endurance to put up with that wait.” 

“Either that or he’s obsessive.” Silvea giggled. 

“So, where to next, now that you’ve helped that poor jester?” he wondered and she paused, taking out her map and pointing to a city on the map. 

“I’m thinking Windhelm. It’s the next closest city, and I don’t know, maybe it would be a nice place to figure out where to go from there?” 

“How so?” he questioned with a raised brow. 

“Well… I figured since it’s practically the second capital of Skyrim, the inn might be filled with a lot of useful information.” 

“Alright, then. Windhelm it is.” he agreed, though his thoughts lingered on whether or not, Silvea was ever going to talk about what was going on with her being Dragonborn.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos are much appreciated. :)


End file.
